The Colts when they had a healthy QB1 last season were likely the top team in the AFC and easily one of the best in the NFL. They held the rank of being the top scoring offense in the NFL for the most part with their starting QB Daniel Jones healthy. However, the team failed to keep him or his primary backup healthy and the team nosedived once the health of their QB spot was comprised. The Colts had a domineering offensive line this past season that was arguably the best in the NFL which led to much of their success. If the Colts want to continue their dominance, then the offensive line will need to be strong next year as well. Here I will do a detailed assessment of the Colts’ offensive line heading into the 2026 season.
Set to start at left tackle is 2022 3rd rounder Bernhard Raimann who has consistently been very strong thus far in the NFL and is among the better if not the best overall left tackles in the NFL. Raimann has graded as a top ten overall tackle in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus in two of four seasons in the NFL, while grading well above average and just outside the top ten the other two times. Raimann remains a very strong option for the Colts at left tackle.
Set to start at left guard is former first rounder Quenton Nelson who is among the best interior offensive lineman in the sport. Nelson has made the Pro Bowl in every season he has played in the NFL and has made the All-Pro team six times in eight seasons, being recognized as a first team All-Pro three times. Nelson does lack consistency from time to time and there are multiple guards better than him, but outside of having a superstar like Myles Garrett or Trent Williams who are all timers, one would be hard pressed to find a better starter than Nelson at any position.
2024 4th rounder Tanor Bortolini is set to start at center, and he emerged as one of the premier centers in the NFL during this past season. Bartolini had a very strong rookie season in limited snaps and thrived as a starter for the first time this past season. During the 2025 season, Pro Football Focus graded Bortolini as the third best overall center in the NFL and as one of the premier run blockers. However, Bortolini has just been good but not special thus far as a pass protector, failing to show much improvement in that department from year 1 to year 2. If Bortolini can improve upon his pass protection heading into his second year as starter, he may enter the conversation for being the best overall center in the NFL.
Set to start at right guard is 2024 3rd rounder Matt Goncalves who has been solid but not spectacular thus far in the NFL. Goncalves played his first season in the NFL at tackle primarily and had a decent rookie season. Goncalves showed some improvement from year 1 to year 2 in the NFL switching from playing primarily tackle to then guard. Goncalves graded in the slightly below average range in terms of an overall offense grade among players at his position in year 1 at tackle, then in year 2 at guard he graded slightly above average in that department. As Goncalves heads into his second season in the NFL playing at guard he is in line to go from being a slightly above average player to possibly a well above average player.
Currently slated to start at left tackle is 2025 4th rounder Jalen Travis who is coming off a strong rookie year. Long time Colts’ starting tackle Braden Smith left the team this offseason and Travis, who actually played better than Smith last year in place of him when Smith was injured, is now in line to take his place. Travis as a rookie playing in over 300 snaps graded (35/95) in terms of an overall offense grade among qualified tackles, no small feat. Travis is in line to become a very good if not a great player going forward for the Colts.
Although the Colts have an electric starting five offensive front, they currently lack depth on the offensive line. They do not have a single player who strikes me as a high-end backup. In order for Indianapolis to maintain elite offensive line play next season they will need to stay healthier up front and/or have one or more of the unproven backups emerge as a strong player.
Overall, the Colts had likely the best or second-best offensive line in the NFL this past season and it projects to be top tier next year as well. The starting trio of Raimann at left tackle, Nelson at left guard, and Bortolini at center is remarkable and is up there with any starting trio of offensive linemen in the league today. The remaining two starters were above average in their first season starting at their current positions and both are now going into year 2 as starters at those positions and could now become well above average starters. A breakdown of the Colts’ offensive line heading into the 2026 season can be found below.
Colts’ 2026 Projected Starting Offensive Line
LT – Bernhard Raimann – B+ to A-
LG – Quenton Nelson – A to A-
C – Tanor Bortolini – A to A-
RG – Matt Goncalves – B-, will likely improve greatly heading into second year starting at guard
RT – Jalen Travis – B- as rookie in 2025, 2025 4th rounder, will likely greatly improve heading into year 2
Noteworthy 2026 Colts’ Reserve Offensive Linemen
N/A
