Colts GM Chris Ballard: Danny Pinter has ‘a very bright future’

Pinter gets some praise from Chris Ballard.

The Indianapolis Colts have some question marks with the depth of their offensive line. However, they feel confident that rookie guard Danny Pinter will eventually turn into a big piece of the front.

A fifth-round pick in the draft, Pinter brings athleticism and excellent movement skills to the interior offensive line. He also brings plenty of versatility of which he’s showed off during training camp.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard told Dan Dakich of 1070 that he sees a bright future for the Ball State product.

“I like Danny. I was excited we got to draft him. I kind of held my breath up until he finally got to our pick. We think Danny has a bright future. We’ve played him in a lot of different spots here,” Ballard said. “You are talking 8, 9 padded practices so far, but the early results are very encouraging. We’ve played him at guard, center, we kicked him out as a blocking tight end. We are using him in a lot of roles. He’s got a very bright future for the Colts.”

Ballard expressed his desire to draft Pinter on Day 3, saying he tried to trade up for the offensive lineman for 30 minutes before he eventually fell to the Colts in the fifth round.

As the starting offensive line is set, Pinter will be working at all three interior spots as a backup. His primary position is likely to be at right guard behind starter Mark Glowinski, but he’s also been seen working at center throughout camp.

The Colts offensive line has become the engine of the offense after a few years of making it a priority. With Pinter, they have a chance to make him a high upside starter when he’s ready to take over.