NFL analyst says former Super Bowl champ is an ideal fit for Colts

General manager Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts have not made a ton of moves in free agency. But they have added players along the defensive line and at wide receiver as needs are addressed. There are still moves that need to be made. Pass catcher remains an important priority, quarterback is obviously at the […]

Add as preferred source on Google
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

General manager Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts have not made a ton of moves in free agency. But they have added players along the defensive line and at wide receiver as needs are addressed.

There are still moves that need to be made. Pass catcher remains an important priority, quarterback is obviously at the top of the list, and offensive line is another area that needs to be upgraded.

Fortunately, there are players still on the free agent market that can be added to the roster ahead of the draft. Including veteran offensive lineman Donovan Smith, who ESPN considers to be a fit with the Colts.

Bill Barnwell included Smith in his article about best team fits for a handful of unsigned players. For Smith and the Colts, the explanation was simple: Indianapolis needs a pass protector for its next franchise quarterback.

Possible deal: Two years, $13 million with the Colts. Indy needs to lock down its pass protection for its next quarterback, which presumably will be its selection with the No. 4 pick. Rookie third-rounder Bernhard Raimann was prematurely thrown into the mix out of desperation last season, starting 11 games with iffy results. He ranked 60th out of 64 tackles in pass block win rate (PBWR) and allowed six sacks.

Signing a free agent offensive tackle makes sense for the Colts due to what Barnwell wrote. Additionally, this draft class is not considered to be the strongest at the position.

With the first-round selection surely going towards quarterback, Indianapolis could look to add a lineman early in the second-round. But, that's always a risk. Instead, Smith would provide experience, a championship pedigree, and a relatively safe option at tackle.

Raimann was drafted as a project, but this might not be the right time to have an inexperienced player protecting a rookie quarterback's blind side. Signing Smith (who actually ranked 63rd out of 64 tackles in PBWR a year ago) would give the Colts a veteran to push Raimann in camp and a player who can step in if Raimann struggles during the season.

It is clear that this is an area where the Indianapolis Colts would be smart to address. While Smith is not a perfect solution, he would provide an immediate upgrade and be a welcomed addition to whoever is playing quarterback next season.