With the return of left tackle Anthony Castonzo, the Indianapolis Colts took a big sigh of relief knowing the edges of their offensive line will be intact for at least two more seasons.
That’s a big deal for the Colts because they had no replacement for Castonzo if he did decide to retire. But also, the combination of Castonzo and right tackle Braden Smith was ranked as the fourth-best duo in the league by Pro Football Focus.
One of the more underrated developments this offseason was Castonzo’s decision to hold off on retirement and return to what has become one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. Castonzo hasn’t been selected to a Pro Bowl in his nine-year NFL career, but he has consistently been one of the better pass-blocking left tackles in the game while still providing solid play in the run game. He has finished with an overall grade below 76.9 only once in his career, his rookie 2011 season, and he’s one of just eight tackles to put up pass-blocking grades of 80.0 or higher in each of the past two seasons on 250 or more pass-blocking snaps. His return is big for the Colts in their pursuit of an AFC South title.
Smith, meanwhile, impressed from a grading perspective in his second season out of Auburn this past season. He still has some things to work on in pass protection — finishing the 2019 season with a 68.1 pass-blocking grade — but his 86.4 run-blocking grade was one of the best marks in the NFL. Considering young tackles generally don’t reach their peaks until three or four years into their careers, Smith’s improvement from 2018 to 2019 bodes well for his prospects in 2020. The results we saw from him as a run-blocker certainly bode well for Marlon Mack and the newly acquired Jonathan Taylor on the ground, too.
Castonzo has really turned a page since the arrival of Frank Reich in 2018. Though he was a steady anchor o the left side of the line, his game has really taken off in terms of consistency over the last two seasons.
Smith has been a wonderful development for the Colts as a right tackle, especially considering he was drafted as a guard. If he continues to develop, an extension should be in line somewhere in the future.
The Colts will have some strong continuity on the offensive line entering the 2020 season, and it begins with Castonzo and Smith on the edge.