Tag: Matt Pryor

Colts’ players under the most pressure in 2022

The pressure is high for these Colts in 2022.

After an offseason filled with some big moves, the expectations are high for the Indianapolis Colts entering the 2022 season.

With those expectations comes the pressure that some players will be under to perform. Some of them need to prove they can stay healthy. Some are in a contract year and are under pressure to show why they should stick around. Others may be new around town but are stepping into a starting role.

Pressure isn’t the same for all players. Some thrive in it. Some don’t. But the Colts have a number of players who face pressure to perform in 2022.

8 Colts who can cash in big with strong a 2022 season

Several Colts can earn a pay increase next offseason with a strong showing in 2022.

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the more proactive teams when it comes to signing contract extensions before a player officially hits the market. But even they need to wait and see what happens during contract years sometimes.

The Colts have a number of relevant players heading into the final year of their current contracts. Some of them might receive an extension before the start of the regular season as Nyheim Hines, Braden Smith and Darius Leonard did.

Some may not receive an extension until the Colts realize they’ll be priced out in free agency as in the case of Grover Stewart.

Others may not even receive an extension even though we believe they have a strong chance to get one with a solid season.

Regardless of whether it winds up being with the Colts or another team, there are several players with their eyes on getting a pay upgrade following the 2022 season.

Here are eight Colts with the chance to cash in big next offseason with strong campaigns in 2022:

Note: We are not including Quenton Nelson on this list because he’s already expected to receive a new contract at some point in the future.

How boxing classes prepared Matt Pryor for LT competition

Matt Pryor spent the offseason preparing to battle at left tackle, including taking boxing classes.

Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Matt Pryor re-signed with the team this offseason knowing he’d have a chance to compete for a starting role at the vacant left tackle position.

Following the retirement of Anthony Castonzo during the 2021 offseason, the Colts opted to take a risk on veteran Eric Fisher, who was coming off of a torn Achilles at the time. That move didn’t work out so well, but Pryor showed flashes of potential as a starter when he had to step in during a Week 17 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

While they lost that game, Pryor showed a lot of potential at the position. So, he made it a priority to do all he can to get ready for the competition this offseason, which included training his body to mirror movements on the left side.

“Before last season, I never thought about playing that position. I got game time, I started the Raiders game and then I played some in the last game of the season against the Jaguars. The comfortability level kind of came while playing the game but this offseason, I really focused in on working that out when I was training in Texas,” Pryor told reporters Wednesday. “I did some boxing classes and I worked southpaw so I could get used to my hips being flipped the opposite way. So, now going out here during OTAs, it feels natural.”

It’s not a simple switch train the body to work on the opposite side of the offensive line. Several current and former players have likened the transition to going from a right-handed golf swing to a left-handed one. They are almost completely separate movements in a way.

Pryor spent most of the 2021 season working as a valuable depth piece along the offensive line. His versatility to work both on the edge and the interior was likely one of the selling points for the Colts to bring him back.

Now, after re-upping with the Colts on a one-year deal, Pryor will be leading the competition to start on the blindside.

“As of now, I’m doing just left tackle. That’s the position I’m really keying in on. If it came down to it, it’s whatever the team really needs,” Pryor told reporters Wednesday. “If I have to play right guard, that’s fine with me. I’ve played it before but right now my main goal is just focusing in on left tackle and owning it.”

Entering the offseason workout program, Pryor is leading the charge. But he knows there is some stiff competition to go up against after the Colts used a third-round pick on rookie Bernhard Raimann while adding veteran swing tackle Dennis Kelly following the draft.

Having this kind of depth is exactly the kind of situation the Colts want to be in. Whether Pryor wins the job remains to be seen, but his offseason work is already showing up in the competition.

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Winners and losers from Colts’ 2022 draft

Taking a look at the winners and losers from the Colts’ 2022 draft.

The Indianapolis Colts completed their eight-player class in the 2022 NFL draft and while there’s a long way to go before camp battles determine several roster spots, we can already see which players may be impacted by the picks.

The Colts are also set to add a massive group of undrafted rookie free agents to the roster so we may already see the impact of the additions when the team has to make moves for the incoming players.

It should be known that these are viewed more on a projection basis. We have no idea how the rookies will pan out but given what we do know, we can make educated projections as to how these players may impact the roster and players at several positions.

With a clearer focus on the draft class now in hand, here’s a look at the winners and losers from the 2022 draft:

Grading the Colts’ draft selection of OT Bernhard Raimann

Grading the Colts’ pick of OT Bernhard Raimann.

The Indianapolis Colts turned to the trenches on the offensive side of the ball with their third selection in the 2022 NFL draft. With the No. 77 overall pick in the third round, the Colts selected Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann.

Raimann brings competition to an offensive line that is still searching for the long-term answer at the left tackle or blind side protector spot, which is a critical part for the success of any offense.

The Colts brought back depth lineman Matt Pryor on a one-year deal this off-season, and Colts general manager Chris Ballard has stated he will have the first shot at obtaining that starting position that Raimann will no doubt also compete for.

At Raimann, at 6-foot-6 and 303 pounds with nearly 33 inch arms, the Colts again add another big and very athletic talent to the mix on an offensive line loaded with it.

Raimann is a recent transition from tight end to tackle in the last couple years, and shows fantastic fundamentals for someone with so little time learning the position.

Being a former tight end, Raimann brings great footwork and quickness to a position that is all about leverage and manipulating your opposition. Raimann also shows great handwork, and the ability to move around the edge take on pass rushers and dominate in one-on-one battles.

Raimann is another great developmental talent with athletic upside in a draft class full of it. Raimann has potential to eventually join the starting line-up further down the line perhaps in his second season with the team. Adding him to a group that includes All-Pro’s in Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith is a great way to build on a strength of the roster for the upcoming season.

Grade: B

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6 Colts who must step up for new QB Matt Ryan

Here are six Colts who need to step up for QB Matt Ryan in 2022.

The Indianapolis Colts brought in veteran Matt Ryan to be their temporary stop-gap for the next few seasons as they continue to work their way towards finding a franchise quarterback.

Whether Ryan will be here for just two seasons or a bit longer, the Colts need to build around him. It goes without saying that Ryan has a lot to prove with his new team and that he is also responsible for playing well. But the Colts have to do what they can to build around their new quarterback.

It’s vital for the Colts to put Ryan in the best possible situation. He’ll have the best run game he’s ever had behind him with Jonathan Taylor and depending on how the offensive line moves shake out, he should have a stout front protecting him as well.

So while Ryan himself needs to step up in 2022 and beyond, here are six Colts who need to do the same for the 36-year-old quarterback:

Colts’ Matt Pryor will get ‘first shot’ at starting left tackle

Matt Pryor will get the first shot to be the Colts’ starting left tackle.

Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Matt Pryor will get the first shot at being the starting left tackle in 2022.

Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, general manager Chris Ballard sent heaps of praise toward Pryor and the upside the team believes he has.

The Colts re-signed Pryor to a one-year deal after he worked in a spot-starting role at various positions, and Ballard admitted he will get the initial crack at the starting left tackle spot.

“I think he’s one of the people that everybody kind of brushed off to the side but Matt Pryor played really good for us this year and I think people kind of ignored it,” Ballard said Tuesday. “Even against the Raiders when you go back and watch the Raider game, he was outstanding at left tackle so we’ll give him the first shot at it.”

This likely means any chance of getting the Colts to go in heavily on a Terron Armstead or Duane Brown option is gone. The Colts tried to do so with Eric Fisher in 2021, but that wound up hurting the passing game.

Pryor won’t be the outright starter. The Colts will add some competition to the offensive line whether through the draft or free agency, but Ballard reiterated the upside they see in Pryor.

“We’ll continue to look to add depth as we need to. We’ll look both in free agency and the draft but he’ll get the first shot at it. He ended up starting five of six games for us last year both at right left and at guard,” Ballard said. “He’s a young player we think he has a lot of talent he’s a big strong man and when we gave him a chance to perform he performed really well and it’s been fun to watch him work and buy into what we’re asking him to do so we’ll give him a shot at it and we think he’s got a lot of upside.”

The Colts are still very likely to use one of their earlier picks on a left tackle prospect even though they don’t have a first-rounder to use.

With all that said, there is a good chance Pryor is the starting left tackle in Week 1.

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Matt Pryor’s new contract with Colts worth up to $6 million

Here’s how Matt Pryor’s new contract with the Colts breaks down.

The Indianapolis Colts are bringing back offensive lineman Matt Pryor on a one-year deal and now we have the details of the new contract.

One-year deals don’t typically have massive salary-cap implications and this one falls in line with that notion. Most of the contract for Pryor is guaranteed during the 2022 season.

According to Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star, it’s a one-year deal worth $5.545 million with $5.29 million fully guaranteed.

Pryor carries a base salary of $1.29 million and will receive a roster bonus of $4 million that will likely trigger on the fifth day of the new league year. That combination of $5.29 million makes up the guaranteed money.

Pryor also has a total of $255,000 in per-game roster bonuses—or $15,000 per game.

Erickson also reported that Pryor has $500,000 in playtime/playoff incentives.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the offseason unfolds. Pryor could be getting a chance to start at either right guard or left tackle—two positions currently without starters. At worst, Pryor is a highly-valuable depth piece on the offensive line.

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Instant analysis of Colts re-signing OL Matt Pryor

Here’s the instant analysis of the Colts re-signing OL Matt Pryor.

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to bring back pending free agent offensive tackle Matt Pryor.

Details of the deal are still unknown, but this at least gets the wheels turning for the Colts in the free agency market. They also re-signed tight end Mo Alie-Cox and linebacker/special teamer Zaire Franklin to three-year deals.

Pryor joined the Colts just before the 2021 season through a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

While he did not see a ton of action, Pryor provided much-needed depth at a key position that was filled with injuries last year. Bringing him back ensures that depth once again and even gives him a chance to earn the starting job at left tackle.

The Colts are not expected to sign veteran Eric Fisher before free agency officially begins on Wednesday and it remains to be seen how active the front office will be in signing competition for the left tackle spot.

The signing shows that Chris Ballard and the front office want to shore up the offensive line before they go make a move for a quarterback.

Think of this move as a fail-safe in case the Colts can’t upgrade at the tackle position by adding a player like Terron Armstead or Duane Brown.

Expect more depth to be added to the offensive line, especially with the departure of former starting right guard Mark Glowinski.

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Report: Colts expected to re-sign OL Matt Pryor

The Colts are expected to re-sign OL Matt Pryor to a short-term deal.

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to re-sign pending free agent offensive lineman Matt Pryor, first reported Tuesday by Ian Rapoport.

Just before the start of the 2021 regular season, the Colts sent over a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Pryor and 2022 a seventh-round pick.

While the details haven’t been officially confirmed, the versatile offensive lineman appears to be returning for at least another season.

This move was to be expected. After starting right guard Mark Glowinski agreed to a three-year deal with the New York Giants, the Colts had to make a move to salvage some of their offensive line depth.

Pryor made five starts for the Colts during the 2021 season all over the offensive line. He even got some run at left tackle, which is where he might get a chance to compete for the starting role if the Colts decide to go the cheaper route.

With Pryor coming back, the Colts could still re-sign Chris Reed to give them some superior depth on the offensive line but we know at least one of them will be back in 2022.

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