Coinciding with the positional competition at starting right guard along their offensive line, the Indianapolis Colts also are projected to have a training camp battle at starting right tackle.
Now, this competition has changed a bit in the last few weeks from what we once knew, and it may be a lot more anticlimactic than we initially anticipated.
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Specifically, 3rd-year offensive lineman Matt Goncalves, who’s returning from being last year’s starter at right guard, has admittedly ‘bulked up’ in the hopes of improving his playing strength and core power at that position. That means he’s more focused on keeping his job at right guard than he is winning an adjacent competition at right tackle as it currently stands.
Meanwhile, Colts’ rookie 4th round pick Jalen Farmer, who was initially expected to compete at both starting spots along the right side of the revamped Indy offensive line—as publicly stated by general manager Chris Ballard right after he was drafted, is now focusing on right guard.
For what it’s worth Colts offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. views him as a guard first and foremost too:
“But he is a guard,’’ Sparano said a few weeks ago via FOX59/CBS4’s Mike Chappell. “He’s a guard, first and foremost. That’s where he’s going to train the vast majority of the time.”
“From there, we’ll see where that goes and potentially, he could flex to some other spots. But he is a guard.’’
That means what was once expected to be more of an open competition at right tackle during this summer’s training camp and preseason looks like it’s 2nd-year offensive tackle Jalen Travis’s job to lose:
“I get really excited about his potential,’’ Sparano also said via Chappell. “At (right tackle), I expect him to make that his own.’’
“. . . This is a tough, smart, physical dude that’s a better athlete than people give him credit for.”
With Colts longtime starting veteran right tackle Braden Smith departing to the Houston Texans in free agency, who solidified the position for the Colts over the past 8 seasons, the torch appears to have been passed to Travis.
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The Colts’ mammoth-sized 2025 4th round pick at 6,‘8”, 339 pounds, was thrown into the fire early as a rookie last year, even making 4 starts in relief of Smith. The 24-year-old had more initial polish than expected at the right tackle position, and while he had some rookie growing pains, largely held his own out there down the final stretch for Indianapolis—showing considerable improvement in his growth and development.
However, being a spot-starter is a little bit different than a full-time starter at right tackle, as the more you play, the more film there is out there, and arguably the more opportunities there are for you to be potentially exposed.
Still, with Goncalves and Farmer focusing more so on starting right guard, it appears as though Travis is in the driver’s seat at right tackle. The Colts’ other depth options at the position are 4th-year offensive tackle Blake Freeland and Luke Tenuta, both of whom appear to be more backup caliber offensive linemen at the position.
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