Braden Smith‘s personal matter will keep him off the sphere for the remaining of the season. The Colts announced that they’ve placed the offensive tackle on the reserve/non-football illness list. In a corresponding move, the team has promoted guard Mark Glowinski from the practice squad as a typical gameday elevation.
Smith sat out Indy’s Week 13 contest while coping with the unreported personal issue, and the team was off during their Week 14 bye. When the Colts return to the sphere tomorrow, they’ll be without their starting OT, they usually’ll need to navigate the remaining of the season without the veteran.
The 2018 second-round pick has spent his entire profession with the Colts, starting 92 of his 94 appearances (plus one other three playoff starts). Pro Football Focus has generally graded Smith as considered one of the league’s higher OTs, including a 2023 campaign where he ranked fifth amongst 81 qualifying players. In 2024, Smith ranks forty sixth amongst 81 qualifiers.
Still attached to a four-year, $72.4MM contract he inked in 2021, Smith has struggled to remain on the sphere lately. With the lineman now out for the 2024 campaign, Smith may have missed at the least five games in three of the past 4 years. Third-round rookie Matt Goncalves will proceed to fill in at right tackle for the remaining of the season.
Colts center Ryan Kelly won’t be activated for tomorrow’s game, meaning Tanor Bortolini will proceed to start out for the squad. With two OL mainstays out of the lineup, Glowinski will provide some veteran depth in case the Colts lose one other blocker. Glowinski had a four-year stint because the Colts starting right guard before he left for the Giants throughout the 2022 offseason. The 32-year-old was reduce in March, nevertheless it took him until November to catch on with Indy’s practice squad.
