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- Mar 19, 2019
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2. The Colts aren't in "panic mode" at the left tackle position: Irsay and the Colts knew they'd eventually have to find a replacement for their standout veteran left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who pondered retirement prior to the 2020 season before deciding to play one more year. Castonzo then officially announced his retirement in January.
Since that time, the Colts have made a couple moves in free agency to add depth at left tackle, signing veterans Sam Tevi and Julién Davenport to one-year deals, but ultimately decided against using any of its top picks in this year's draft at the left tackle position.
For now, Irsay said today, it seems like the Colts will move forward at left tackle with Tevi, who started 44 games and two playoff contests with the Los Angeles Chargers over the last four seasons. But there's still plenty of time to find the right guy at that position, whether it ends up being Tevi, Davenport, or Will Holden, or perhaps even 2020 rookies Jake Benzinger or Carter O'Donnell.
The team could also still make a move to add another veteran into the mix at left tackle.
"I think that you look at the whole offensive line and how they develop as a group of five, and I think Tevi's body of work shows that he's very capable, he's a veteran," Irsay said. "I think that he can get the job done.
"There's other options that could come about that we could look at," Irsay continued. "But I'm very confident — I know I've talked to Chris (Ballard) and obviously talking to Frank Reich, whose offense is looking to unfold under this scenario, and we've had a lot of conversations going into these first two picks and seeing what might materialize, but we're not in a panic mode, and we believe that if we were playing a couple weeks from now that we would have an outstanding offensive line with Tevi and we're just going to see where we're going from there and what opportunities present themselves."
Irsay also echoed Ballard's sentiments from this week that the team will likely keep its other four starting offensive linemen — left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, right guard Mark Glowinski and right tackle Braden Smith — where they are, as opposed to moving Nelson or Smith to left tackle, for example.
3. Irsay and the Colts see special play coming from Carson Wentz: For a second straight offseason, the Colts faced a unique opportunity to go out and add a new starting quarterback.
Last year, they signed veteran free agent and future Hall of Famer Philip Rivers, who led Indy back to the postseason. This year, they acquired Pro Bowler Carson Wentz in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Wentz, at 28, is seen by the Colts as both the immediate and future answer at the quarterback position. They're hoping the fact that he's reuniting with Frank Reich, his offensive coordinator for his best season with the Eagles in their Super Bowl-winning 2017 season, will pay huge dividends.
"I think with Carson we have a chance for someone who can be really special, and he's got immense talent," Irsay said of Wentz today. "We don't feel like the league has seen what he can totally do because we think it's special."
Irsay was especially ecstatic that the Colts this offseason have been able to address what he views as the two most important needs in today's NFL: quality quarterback play (with Wentz), and getting after the quarterback (by selecting Paye and Odeyingbo early in the draft).
"We are completely different football team with these two edge rushers and Carson Wentz at quarterback," Irsay said. "I mean, that changes everything. And it has to be proved — we have to go out and play and these guys with their teammates have to show what that brings — but we think it's going to bring something very special here."