Colts small but eye raising move might point towards a shocking change to their starting lineup against the 49ers
The Colts might have just hinted at making a change to their starting lineup due to injuries piling up on the offensive line.
The Indianapolis Colts got good and bad news on the injury front this week. The good news is that DeForest Buckner is back from the IR and set to play against his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, in Week 16. The bad news, though, is that they had to downgrade LT Bernhard Raimann to out after ruling him questionable following practice Saturday.
Raimann will now miss tonight’s game, and the team has to replace him in the starting lineup. The team’s most recent move suggests that they are taking an unconventional approach to replacing him this week, and it would result in another starter being moved to a different position that he hasn’t played this season.
Could the Colts move RG Matt Goncalves back to tackle for Week 16?
Matt Goncalves has started 13 of the Colts 14 games this season. He has started at RG and played every one of his offensive snap at that position. He was a tackle in college though and began his NFL career as a reserve tackle. They team elected to move him inside to guard this year.
That move has worked out well for him and the team. The expectation was that the Colts would elevate a tackle from the practice squad, but with injuries keeping both their starters out, they elevated guard Josh Sills. In my opinion, the only reason that makes sense is if there’s a plan in the works for Goncalves to play tackle in Week 16.
If that’s the case, two options could be happening. The first being that Goncalves could start at tackle opposite Jalen Travis. The second being that if Travis or Luke Tenuta were to leave with an injury, they would then move Goncalves over to tackle and slide Dalton Tucker into the lineup. Personally, I would begin the game with Goncalves at tackle, if this is being considered, but we will likely have to wait until pre-game work to know the offical answer on this.
Indianapolis Colts News
Colts kicked while they are already down before their Week 16 Monday Night Football matchup with the 49ers even kicks off
The Colts get zero help from the rest of the NFL in Week 16, which puts even more pressure on themselves going forward.
