Most essential Colts, No. 5: Braden Smith must protect Anthony Richardson
In a salary-cap league like the NFL, finding building blocks is essential. As teams churn and burn the roster through the draft and bargain signings in free agency, it helps to find the players who are either a cut above the rest or can perform a task few others can. They relieve the pressure on everyone.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be ranking the 15 most essential players to the Colts' success in 2024. It's a subjective process, weighing factors such as ability, positional value within a scheme, age, leadership and durability.
To make it simpler, we're asking the following two questions about these players:
1. How difficult would he be to replace for more than a month?
2. What does the Colts' 2024 ceiling become if this player hits his?
With the return of Anthony Richardson from shoulder surgery, the Colts’ outlook is on the future but also on the present after a 9-8 season fell a fourth-down conversion short of winning the AFC South. This list will primarily look at 2024 value, but certain players' development for the long-term can help to break ties along the way.
Here's the list so far:
6. DeForest Buckner, defensive tackle
9. Kenny Moore II, nickel cornerback
12. Laiatu Latu, defensive end
14. Zaire Franklin, linebacker
Today, we look at No. 5, Braden Smith.
Position: Right tackle
Age: 28
Experience: 7th season
Last year's rank: No. 5
Why he's here: Braden Smith has always mattered for the Colts, but never more than right now.
He's been the team's steady cog on the right side of the line since 2018, when general manager Chris Ballard drafted the Auburn product to protect Andrew Luck, and to do so as a guard. Now Smith must protect Anthony Richardson as a right tackle, or one of the places where the fastest pass rushers arrive.
It's a safe bet on the performance, as Smith has developed into one of the Colts' most consistent players, now a man with 80 career starts. Even when the rest of the line cratered in 2022, Smith hit his baseline. And he showed up again last season, albeit in 10 games. His absences were noticeable when the Colts had to sub in a fourth-round rookie swing tackle in Blake Freeland, and Smith's return against the Raiders arguably won that game in the way he kept Maxx Crosby from wrecking it.
On performance, he's the better of the Colts' two tackles right now, which is why the Colts are paying him an average of $17.5 million a season. But the question is how long that will remain, and for how many games.
Smith is in his prime at 28, but some injuries have started to add up. He missed this spring dealing with one, and he missed a career-high seven games last season with a variety of wrist and hip injuries. He gave a warrior's effort in his return against the Raiders, but the man was among the most hobbled you'll see play a game so intense. He has played at least 10 games every season, but he's also now missed 17, or nearly three a year.
In theory, an absence from Smith shouldn't be as crippling this season, now that Freeland has a full year of cross-training at the two tackle positions under his belt. The Colts also have third-round rookie Matt Goncalvez as an option there. Will Fries took a major step forward at right guard, and if that holds, he won't rely as much on Smith as he did early last season.
But losing Smith could be the end of their world.
The No. 1 objective since the offseason began was to find some way to protect Anthony Richardson. The second-year quarterback is still working through soreness after shoulder surgery, after missing the final 13 games. The Colts still want to run him plenty to introduce more explosive plays to their offense, which means he's going to take hits. But protecting him in the pocket will be essential, both for his health and for his ability to grow as a passer.
To maximize Richardson, Jonathan Taylor and even Shane Steichen, the Colts need to have Smith playing.
Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Most essential Colts, No. 5: Braden Smith protects Anthony Richardson
