The Indianapolis Colts have ruled out left tackle Bernhard Raimann for the team’s Sunday night matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
Raimann would play 100 percent of the offensive snaps against Houston this past week but would enter concussion protocol on Monday after experiencing symptoms.
He still remains in protocols and did not practice at all during the week.
Raimann, along with the rest of the Colts’ offensive line, would take their lumps against Houston, but overall this season, he has been one of the better offensive tackles in football.
Through seven weeks, Raimann had surrendered just one sack, six pressures and was tied for third among all tackles in pass-blocking efficiency. Raimann also ranked top-20 in run-blocking grade as well.
Without Raimann available, the expectation is that rookie Matt Goncalves will get the start at left tackle–his first in the NFL.
Goncalves spent the majority of his snaps at Pittsburgh playing right tackle but has left tackle experience and during training camp, saw reps on both sides of the line.
“I was mostly right side (in college), but I had my fair share of starts at left tackle, too,” said Goncalves on Friday via The Athletic’s James Boyd. “So it’s something I’m a little used to. Probably more familiar with the right side, but I don’t find it that much of a challenge to switch sides.”
Goncalves will make his debut against a very aggressive and blitz-heavy Vikings defense. Minnesota enters the game ranked first in blitz rate as well as pressure rate, according to Pro Football Reference.
The challenge for the Colts’ offense doesn’t only lie in Minnesota’s willingness to blitz, but under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, they disguise where those pressures are coming from very well.