The Indianapolis Colts are still searching for the right offensive line combination, and the search has now stretched outside the organization.
NFL Insider Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported on October 10 that the Colts worked out two offensive tackles with starting experience — Ty Nsekhe and Will Richardson. Indianapolis also hosted defensive tackle Tyeler Davison for a workout.
Colts worked out Ty Nsekhe, Tyeler Davison and Will Richardson
The Colts bringing in two offensive tackles for workouts comes days after Indianapolis allowed 6.0 sacks and 12 quarterback hits in a 12-9 overtime victory against the Denver Broncos.
Colts Looking for Offensive Line Help
It comes as no surprise that Indianapolis is searching for options along its offensive line. Although the Colts did enough on the ground — 106 yards on 26 carries — to beat the Broncos, Pro Football Focus still has Indianapolis ranked 24th in run blocking this season.
The Colts are even worse in pass protection. Indianapolis has allowed 21.0 sacks against quarterback Matt Ryan. PFF has the Colts offensive line ranked 27th in pass protection.
In Week 5, Indianapolis moved Matt Pryor, who started the first four games at left tackle, to right tackle and inserted rookie Bernhard Raimann on Ryan’s blindside. Again, the running game did alright, but the overall results of the switch were below average. Pryor struggled to adjust to right tackle on a short week, and Raimann committed four penalties in the first half alone.
Nsekhe is the more experienced of the two offensive linemen the Colts invited for a workout on October 10. He actually spent time with the Colts during the team’s 2012 training camp but didn’t make the team. Nsekhe played two games with the then St. Louis Rams that season.
He didn’t get back into an NFL regular season game until 2015, but Nsekhe has played in at least 10 games per season since then. He played for the then Washington Redskins from 2015-18, Buffalo Bills from 2019-20 and Dallas Cowboys last season.
Over his 10-year career, Nsekhe has made 17 starts. He started a career-high five games in 2017 and 2018.
Richardson doesn’t have as much experience, but he likely presents more upside. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Richardson 129th overall in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
He never appeared in a game as a rookie, but Richardson made two starts and 15 appearances during his second season. He spent three seasons with the Jaguars, recording five starts in 44 games.
Last season, he started in Weeks 13 and 16.
Colts Work Out Davison
Of the three players Indianapolis hosted on October 10, Davison has, by far, the most experience. The 30-year-old defensive tackle has posted 86 starts in 105 games during his seven-year career.
The New Orleans Saints drafted Davison in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He became a regular starter in his second season.
After four seasons with the Saints, Davison stayed in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons. He was a regular starter for the Falcons in 2019 and 2020. Davison made 11 starts last year.
In 12 games overall, he posted 30 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss in 2021. In his seven-year career, Davison has recorded 5.0 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, 4 pass defenses and 216 combined tackles.
The Colts aren’t the deepest team with interior defensive linemen, and Davison could supply some depth in that area.
Bringing in Davison could also be an indication defensive tackle DeForest Buckner isn’t improving from his injuries. Buckner hasn’t missed a game, but he’s dealt with a couple different ailments to begin the season.
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Colts Host Former Defensive Starter, 2 Offensive Tackles for Visit: Report