The Colts may have lost a key piece on the right side, but the big picture still looks strong. With little turnover up front, Indianapolis is positioned to roll into 2026 with one of the NFL’s better offensive lines, and USA Today’s Jacob Camenker backed that up with a No. 8 ranking.
That’s a notable nod for a group that helped Indianapolis start fast last season before the second-half slide took over. The offense finished second in the league with 27 rushing touchdowns and tied for 10th at 4.5 yards per carry, and the line was a major reason why.
The biggest change is at right tackle, where Braden Smith departed for the Texans in free agency. But the Colts weren’t forced to start from scratch. Jalen Travis, a 2025 fourth-round pick, stepped in for the final four games of the season and now looks set to take over full-time.
Camenker pointed to that transition while also emphasizing how stable the rest of the unit remains.
"Long-time right tackle Braden Smith joined the Texans during the offseason. As a result, the Colts figure to rely on Travis, a 2025 fourth-round pick, to replace him," Camenker wrote.
"While Travis is an unknown, the left side of the Colts' offensive line is rock-solid. Neson and Bortolini were both graded as top-five players at their positions by Pro Football Focus, while Raimann measured third in ESPN's run block win rate metric last season. Their strength should anchor Indianapolis' unit and give Jonathan Taylor a chance to build upon his stellar 2025 campaign."
That left side starts with Bernhard Raimann, who is heading into his fourth straight season as the Colts’ full-time left tackle after signing a $100 million extension last summer. Pro Football Focus graded him 12th among NFL tackles overall at 82.0. He gave up eight sacks and eight penalties, but his work in both pass protection and run blocking still landed inside the top 20 at his position, with marks of 78.9 and 78.7.
Quenton Nelson remains the tone-setter inside. After earning Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors, plus the No. 99 spot on the NFL Top 100, he allowed just one sack for the fifth time in his career. He also matched career highs with 15 pressures allowed and a 98.7 pass-block efficiency, while posting his fewest penalties in a season with two.
At center, Tanor Bortolini took a major step forward. PFF ranked him third among NFL centers last year with an 82.6 grade, behind only Creed Humphrey and Aaron Brewer. He didn’t allow a sack and gave up 17 pressures, putting him on a path toward becoming one of the league’s better young interior linemen.
Matt Goncalves handled the move to guard well in his first season at the spot. He finished 29th among guards, allowed two sacks and 34 pressures, and gave the Colts enough to feel good about where he stands in his development.
Then there’s Travis, the newest starter in the mix. As a rookie, he earned a 72.2 grade from PFF, good for fourth among rookie tackles.
He was one of just three rookie tackles to allow one sack or none, and he logged more snaps than the other two. Now he takes over as Indianapolis’ full-time right tackle, with the Colts hoping the line’s stability holds even with Smith gone.
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