The Indianapolis Colts offensive line has been a well-oiled machine over the last three seasons and one of the more underrated reasons for that is due to the play of right tackle Braden Smith.
In listing every team’s best-kept secret, Bleacher Report landed on Smith for the Colts as he enters a contract year that could see him get paid among the highest right tackles in the NFL.
Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson has been a star—as much as an interior lineman can be one, anyway—since being drafted in 2018. This offseason, much of the media focus has been on the left tackle position, which lost Anthony Castonzo to retirement and added Eric Fisher after the draft.
While right tackle Braden Smith hasn’t received nearly as much attention as Nelson or the Colts’ left-tackle vacancy, he is a player on whom Indianapolis depends.
Formerly a guard at Auburn, Smith entered the league as a second-round draft pick in the same class as Nelson. While the latter is a three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has quietly been an anchor at right tackle. He has only missed three games and has played at least 75 percent of the offensive snaps each year.
In 2020, Smith was responsible for only three penalties and did not allow a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. Smith might not pop on film as much as Nelson, but he’s just as valuable to Indianapolis’ offensive front.
Smith has been a key part of the offensive line ever since he moved to right tackle for the 2018 prime-time game against the New England Patriots. He was drafted to be a guard, but the Colts moved him to the edge out of necessity, and the rest is history.
Now, Smith is likely to get a massive contract over the summer that could make him one of the highest-paid players at his position.
