Tag: danny pinter

6 most intriguing position battles to watch at Colts’ OTAs

Taking a look at the most intriguing position battles as the Colts begin OTAs.

The offseason program for the Indianapolis Colts kicked off last month and continues with organized team activities (OTAs) this week.

These activities happen in three phases (May 23-25, May 31-June 2, and June 5-8) and will consist of in-person meetings and dedicated classroom teaching designed to help players improve during the offseason.

It’s also significant because it marks the first time the Colts can run drills between the offense and defense even though no pads or contact are permitted.

As the players reconvene, the evaluation process of the roster begins. It’s a critical time for a young team such as the Colts.

Here are the most intriguing position battles to watch at Colts’ OTAs:

Perfect prospect fits for Colts at positions of need

These prospects are perfect fits for the Colts in the NFL draft.

The 2023 NFL Draft finally begins this week. On April 27,  the Indianapolis Colts will look to add exceptional talent and critical depth to their roster. At the top of the list of objectives is addressing positions of need.

General manager Chris Ballard has often stressed the “need to get it right” this offseason. In terms of the draft, what does that look like?

Currently holding nine selections in the draft, the Colts will have their chances to address positions of need.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Here are the perfect prospect fits for the Colts at critical positions of need in the draft:

PFF compares draft prospects to current, former Colts

Plenty of 2023 prospects compare to current and former Colts.

The 2023 NFL draft is less than two weeks away, and the Indianapolis Colts are working to solidify their big board ahead of the offseason’s biggest weekend.

As the draft approaches, Pro Football Focus handed out their player comparisons for the top 150 players in this year’s class, based on their own rankings. There were plenty of prospects who are being compared to both current and former players of the horseshoe.

It should be noted that comparisons are far from a perfect science and are meant to give an idea about a prospect’s play style or dominating trait rather than a projection of a career path.

Here’s a quick look at the draft comparables related to the Colts in the 2023 NFL draft:

Stock report from Colts’ 24-17 loss to Titans in Week 4

Here is the stock report from the Colts’ 24-17 loss to the Titans in Week 4.

The Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1) came close to pulling off a comeback in Week 4 but couldn’t finish job, losing 24-17 to the Tennessee Titans (2-2) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts went down by 21 points early and then clawed their way back to make it a one-score game with a quarter-and-a-half left in the game. However, they failed to muster any signs of life offensively and couldn’t complete the comeback.

Between performance and usage, we can gather a lot of information about a player’s stock. While we know the stock for the big-name players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., it’s the other pieces on the roster whose stock is likely to change the most throughout the season.

It’s important to remember that the stock report is fluid. A player whose stock fell in one week can rise the following week, and vice versa. It’s more about spotting trends and potential for the future based on what we saw in the game that week.

Here’s the stock report for the Colts after the Week 4 loss:

Colts vs. Titans: Key matchups to watch in Week 4

Key matchups to watch in the Week 4 matchup between the Colts and Titans.

The Indianapolis Colts (1-1-1) and Tennessee Titans (1-2) are set for a Week 4 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

As both teams look to follow up their first win of the season with another victory, this matchup will have plenty of implications both now and down the line when the playoff race starts.

Here’s a look at some of the key matchups to watch during the Week 4 divisional game:

Stock report from Colts’ 20-17 win over Chiefs

Here’s the stock report from the Colts’ upset victory over the Chiefs.

The Indianapolis Colts (1-1-1) were able to come away with a 20-17 upset victory Sunday over the Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

With their backs against the wall, the Colts got the job done. It was their first fourth-quarter comeback since the 2020 season with Philip Rivers. While they got some help from a costly penalty, the fight and fire finally showed up after two pretty rough outings to open the season.

Between performance and usage, we can gather a lot of information about a player’s stock. While we know the stock for the big-name players like Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr., it’s the other pieces on the roster whose stock is likely to change the most throughout the season.

It’s important to remember that the stock report is fluid. A player whose stock fell in one week can rise the following week, and vice versa. It’s more about spotting trends and potential for the future based on what we saw in the game that week.

Here’s the stock report for the Colts following the Week 3 win:

Studs and duds from Colts’ upset win over Chiefs

Here are the studs and duds from the Colts’ upset win over the Chiefs.

Against all odds, the Indianapolis Colts (1-1-1) got their first win of the season in a 20-17 upset victory over the Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was a fantastic outing for the defense—the kind that presents some hope for the rest of the season. However, the offensive line is still struggling at an increasingly alarming rate.

The rookies came up big, and the Colts showed they can still get the job done as underdogs.

Here are the studs and duds from the shocking 20-17 win in Week 3:

Colts’ tight-knit offensive line welcoming new pieces

Braden Smith knows chemistry along the offensive line can’t be forced.

When it comes to the Indianapolis Colts offensive line, chemistry is always at the forefront of the conversation.

As a unit working to get back into the elite tier of offensive lines across the NFL, they will be welcoming two new starters along the front five at left tackle and right guard.

Chemistry is built through shared experience and success together as a unit. A standard has been set since right tackle Braden Smith entered the league in 2018, and the unit has tried to uphold that standard ever since.

There have been bumps along the way in recent seasons, and Smith remarked that chemistry isn’t something that can be forced. It has to occur naturally and organically on its own.

“I mean you can’t fake chemistry. I think we’re just a tight-knit group as it is, we always have been,” Smith told reporters Saturday. “I feel like that kind of just reflects on the field the last couple years. You hear about some groups that aren’t as close and I mean it shows.”

At left tackle, the Colts are still trying to find the replacement for longtime starter Anthony Castonzo, who retired following the 2020 season. The Eric Fisher experiment didn’t work, and now they are leaning on a competition between the versatile veteran Matt Pryor and rookie third-round pick Bernhard Raimann.

Through the first two weeks of camp, it has been Pryor’s job to lose. He’s taken every rep with the first-team offense since the spring as the Colts hope to find the answer to the vacant role on Matt Ryan’s blindside.

“Matt has played left tackle before so it’s not like he hasn’t ever done it before,” Smith said.

On the other side of the line, third-year lineman Danny Pinter has been leading the competition at right guard following the departure of Mark Glowinski, who was the starter for the last four seasons.

Pinter, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, was selected for exactly this role. The Colts knew he had some development to go through, but Smith sees a player ready to take advantage of an opportunity.

“It’s Danny’s first time at guard but I mean he’s an experienced guy, smart guy and willing to learn. He’s been doing a great job just getting better every day,” said Smith.

As for Pinter himself, it’s easy to buy into the standard that has been set by Smith, Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly.

“Yeah, those dudes definitely set a standard a long time ago for what it means to be a Colts offensive lineman and I think the best way to put it is just work,” Pinter said Thursday at training camp. “We’ve got an awesome group of guys that are humble and just want to work and play for each other.”

The offensive line is a major storyline to watch throughout training camp and the preseason, especially considering there’s a new quarterback under center for the fifth consecutive season.

Building chemistry is always a key factor for the offensive line, but we may not know how well the unit works together until the season has already gotten underway.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwdn1cy47y964q player_id=none image=https://coltswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Like Colts Wire on Facebook
Follow Colts Wire on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter (@KevinHickey11)

[lawrence-related id=73947,73945,73943]

[listicle id=73931]

Colts’ 2022 training camp preview: Interior offensive line

Previewing the Colts interior offensive line entering training camp.

The Indianapolis Colts are less than two weeks away from the start of training camp at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

With a new quarterback in town for the fifth consecutive season, the offensive line is also expecting to look a bit different than it did in 2021. The core of the group remains intact, but one spot on the interior will have a new starter.

The departure of Mark Glowinski, who signed with the New York Giants, and Chris Reed, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings, left a void at the starting right guard spot this offseason.

Be sure to check out the other position previews ahead of training camp:

Wrapping up the offensive side of the ball, this preview will focus on the guard and center positions:

Colts offensive line ranked 10th in NFL

PFF ranks the Colts OL as a top-10 unit.

The Indianapolis Colts offensive line was ranked 10th in the NFL entering the 2022 season by Pro Football Focus.

As Pro Football Focus put the rankings into tiers, the Colts found themselves in the second tier labeled “High Floor,” which consisted of eight teams overall.

Their projected starting lineup for the Colts included Matt Pryor at left tackle and Danny Pinter at right guard, which falls in line with what we projected following minicamp.

Losing two starters from a year ago is quite the blow, but the core of Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith is still elite. Plus, there is reason to think the Colts’ options at left tackle and right guard are more than capable of holding their own. Third-year offensive lineman Danny Pinter earned a 74.7 overall grade on 226 snaps at mostly center last season. Matt Pryor was similarly impressive in limited playing time, posting a 76.5 overall grade on 438 snaps at mostly right tackle last season. If they continue to succeed in full-time roles, the Colts will finish at a much higher ranking on this list.

The Colts haven’t yet found the solution to the retirement of Anthony Castonzo. However, they liked what they saw from Pryor in his spot-start against the Las Vegas Raiders, and they are very excited about the potential of rookie Bernhard Raimann.

Pinter is a bit of a wild card at the position simply because he hasn’t held a starting role yet. What we saw from him both at center and right guard in 2021 provides plenty of optimism that he can hold his own between Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith.

The offensive line will continue to be a major part of the team’s success and if they can get a bit more consistency from the left tackle position, this unit is likely to move up the rankings.

Like Colts Wire on Facebook
Follow Colts Wire on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter (@KevinHickey11)

[lawrence-related id=72680,72668,72664]

[listicle id=72685]