The Colts may have found some real depth insurance at right guard, and Chris Ballard isn’t exactly hiding how he feels about it.
Indianapolis came out of the preseason with a clearer picture of its starting offensive line, but the bigger question was what happens if the group takes a hit. At right guard, the early answer appears to be Jalen Farmer, the rookie out of Kentucky who started camp looking like a project and now has Ballard sounding pretty optimistic about where things stand.
“We really like where Farmer’s headed,” Ballard told the media. “He’s headed in an upward trajectory.”
That’s a strong endorsement for a player who entered the league as the No. 133 pick and missed some time in training camp with a knee injury. Farmer, listed at 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, has flashed the kind of size and force that jumps off the screen. In the preseason, he showed he could climb to the second level, open lanes for Seth McGowan, and hold his own in pass protection with strong hands and a bruising style in the run game.
The Colts already look comfortable with Matt Goncalves at right guard after he began his career at right tackle, and that versatility gives the team some flexibility. But Ballard’s confidence in Farmer matters because it suggests Indianapolis may have another option it can trust if the line gets shuffled.
That’s especially notable for a team that has already lived through the damage a shaky offensive line can do to a quarterback. Ballard has made strengthening the trenches a priority, and he knows the stakes well. With the backup situation still carrying some questions, getting value from a mid-round rookie like Farmer could end up being exactly the kind of move that keeps the operation steadier.
Ballard also said earlier in the offseason that Farmer had swing tackle potential, so there may still be more than one path to playing time. For now, though, the Colts seem encouraged by where he is and what he’s shown.
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