For years, the Indianapolis Colts have had bragging rights over the rest of the league in terms of left guard play. Quenton Nelson is on a tier of his own, and there's no reason to believe next season will be the exception to that rule.
However, as paramount as he's always been to this team and as successful as he's been in Jonathan Taylor's success in the running game, he may not be the offensive line's most crucial piece in 2026. That weight will fall on Bernhard Raimann's shoulders instead.
Daniel Jones is ahead of schedule in his recovery, but he's still coming off two major injuries, one of which was season-ending. As such, keeping the quarterback out of harm's way will be the No. 1 priority in Indianapolis.
The Indianapolis Colts need Bernhard Raimann's best season yet
Raimann has been a stalwart of the offense and one of the most underrated blindside protectors in the game since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2022. Notably, he's been helping the team with Daniel Jones even off the field.
He agreed to restructure his four-year, $100 million contract extension, converting $11 million of his $13 million base salary into a signing bonus to clear $8.2 million in cap space. That money ultimately helped the Colts give Jones a two-year, $88 million deal to return in free agency. Now, he has to keep that same approach on the field.
There was a Pro Bowl case to be made for Raimann. He did give up eight sacks in 591 pass-blocking snaps, which is obviously an area of improvement, but he only gave up two QB hits and 31 total pressures throughout the course of the season.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required)gave him an 82.0 overall grade, the 12th-highest among 89 eligible tackles. He was pretty solid in pass protection (78.9, 13th), and not many players would be better suited to protect Daniel Jones' blindside.
Jones is a sneakily fast and athletic player who's much more mobile than he gets credit for. He won't hesitate to roll out of the pocket, and the New York Giants' inability to protect him often led him to scramble and extend plays with his legs.
However, even if he looks sharp and mobile, he may not be as elusive early on in the season -- perhaps for the entire year. As such, the Colts must limit his runs and try to ensure he stays in the pocket as often as possible.
Jone has dealt with his fair share of ailments and injuries. The Colts are making a big investment in him, not only financially but also hoping that he'll be their signal-caller of the future. As such, they'll need his bodyguard to step up and keep him safe and sound.
Add us as a preferred source on Google