The Indianapolis Colts offensive line looks different than it did in 2024, in much part due to center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries joining the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.
Matt Goncalves has taken over for Fries, but Kelly leaves bigger shoes to fill. The 2016 first-round pick out of Alabama had been the starting center for the Colts until his offseason departure, leaving big shoes to fill.
Tanor Bortolini, who the Colts have identified as their new starting center in just his second season, has high expectations to live up to.
Those lofty expectations are what makes Bortolini the Colts biggest x-factor for 2025, according to ESPN’s Ben Solak.
“In (Kelly’s) place is Bortolini, a 2024 fourth-round selection who played more than 300 snaps at center in relief of the injured Kelly a year ago,” Solak wrote. “Bortolini looked pretty solid, but a new center is a new center -- especially important when the quarterback is new, as well. We already saw a major protection miscue in the Colts' preseason with Anthony Richardson Sr. under center. When a young center takes the helm with a quarterback new to the system, as Week 1 starter Daniel Jones is, it's easy for assignments to get missed in pass protection -- and the running game can suffer the same errors.”
The Colts feel confident with Jones’ ability to get the entire offense on the same page, as his confidence at the line of scrimmage was one of the differentiating factors which earned him the starting job over Richardson. Indy is hoping his experience can help ease Bortolini into his new full time starter role.
But that lack of comfortability as the regular starter, despite playing significant time in Kelly’s absence last season, is what makes Bortolini the Colts’ biggest question mark.