Veterans and rookies for the Indianapolis Colts will report for training camp on July 24th, with the first practice taking place on July 25th.
Between now and then I will be previewing the Colts’ 91-man roster with a look back at each player’s 2023 season, along with what’s ahead for 2024.
I’ll be going through the Colts’ roster alphabetically, so up next is interior offensive lineman Wesley French. To stay up to date with our other previews, be sure to head over to Colts Wire.
2023 Season Review
French, a 2022 undrafted rookie signed by the Colts, saw his first NFL action this past season, filling in for Ryan Kelly at center when needed.
French was on the field for 270 total snaps, including 153 in pass protection, allowing one sack and eight pressures. By PFF’s metrics, French performed better in pass protection than as a run-blocker, ranking 37th out of 38 eligible centers in run-blocking grade.
“He loves ball. He’s prepared. He prepares every week,” Steichen said. “When he gets his opportunity, and he’s had his opportunity a few times to go in there and play and he fights and scratches and claws, and it’s a testament to him and Tony (Sparano Jr.), our line coach getting those guys ready to go.”
While French did play just about every snap at center, he did play a few at right guard as well, showing some ability to be moved around, which is important for any offensive lineman competing for a spot on the depth chart.
“You’re dressing 48 guys, eight linemen. If you draft an offensive lineman, to just play one position, unless you’re the starter makes it very difficult,” said GM Chris Ballard about the offensive line. “You need to have a guy that can play both tackle spots, a guy that can play both guard spots and swing. And really, two more guys that can snap the football.
“I think it’s the same thing in any position – you’ve got to have some versatility to be able to play multiple spots. We kind of try to do that as much as we can every year.”
2024 Season Preview
With the additions of Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves in the draft, making the roster just became a bigger challenge for French–although that isn’t to say he doesn’t have a path.
The Colts like the versatility that both Bortolini and Goncalves bring to the team. They believe Bortolini can play all three interior positions, and while Goncalves was a tackle at Pitt, they believe he can play guard as well.
Those two players joining an offensive line unit that is returning all five starters from last season, along with having Blake Freeland–a 2023 fourth-round pick–may leave just one or perhaps two roster spots available.
Competing with French for a spot on the 53-man will be Danny Pinter, who missed last season but can play guard and center, as well as tackle Jake Witt.
Although Bortolini could be the long-term option at center for the Colts, that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be ready to be a backup this season. Obviously, we have to wait-and-see how things unfold during training camp, but if French is the better player, that’s how he is going to earn a spot on this team.
“He’s just a gamer,” Quenton Nelson said of French via the team site. “He’s always ready to do, and he’s extremely confident in himself I think because of how hard he works and what he puts in. That piece of him coming in and being able to do his job on a consistent basis is so fortunate for this group.
“And then he has to make all the calls too, get everyone on the same page all day and just did a great job and he’s gotta keep it up.”