The Indianapolis Colts are in danger of losing some of their offensive line depth this off-season.
Both Le’Raven Clark and Joe Haeg are set to become free agents this summer.
The Colts have a reliable starting five, but lack behind them.
The team is reportedly interested in keeping veteran guard/center Josh Andrews.
The Colts have expressed an interest in retaining veteran G/C Josh Andrews, according to a league source. Shouldn't be a surprise given their lack of depth at those positions.
Doesn't mean they will re-sign him. But there will be an open dialogue in the coming days/weeks.
— Jim Ayello (@jimayello) March 11, 2020
How did Andrews Perform in 2019?
Andrews can play both the guard and center position, but didn’t see much playing time during the 2019 season.
He was mainly the backup center to Pro-Bowler Ryan Kelly, but Andrews is versatile.
Andrews only played in six games for the Colts last season.
Most of the offensive line played over 1,000 snaps during the regular season, so there wasn’t a need for Andrews during most games.
However, the Colts are expected to lose o-line depth in free agency, so keeping Andrews becomes important.
He didn’t see much action last season, but that doesn’t mean Andrews isn’t useful as a depth for the organization.
A Look At Andrews Career
The 28-year-old just finished his second season in Indy, but has played a total of nine games with the organization.
He spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before signing with the Colts in 2018.
Andrews has played in a total of 25 games during his career, which isn’t a ton of experience for a player going into his fifth season.
He was undrafted out of Oregon State and signed as a free agent to the Eagles practice squad in 2014.
He didn’t see game action until the 2015 season, but wasn’t a huge part of the Eagles offensive line.
Although, you can never have enough depth in the NFL and the Colts shouldn’t pass on Andrews just because he doesn’t have the ideal experience.
The Colts are signing Josh Andrews off the Eagles practice squad. Indy needs OL help with Ryan Kelly injured
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 20, 2018
How Andrews Fits on the Colts
The Colts originally brought in Andrews to add depth to their o-line after Kelly suffered an injury.
He was never expected to become a starter for the team, but having extra depth is never a bad idea.
It seems unlikely that Andrews would join the starting offensive line next season unless an injury happens.
The Colts have a lock down starting five, so having a guy like Andrews is great for the team.
He can sub in to help at the guard or center position, whereas many players aren’t reliable at multiple positions on the o-line.
The Colts could use a player like Andrews, especially if they lose Haeg or Clark in free agency.
How Much Would it Cost the Colts to Keep Andrews?
The salaries in the NFL continue to raise and the offensive line is no exception.
Andrews current salary is $720,00 a year, according to Profootballreference.
That’s cheap for a reliable backup player that is able to play multiple positions.
The Colts aren’t expected to keep Haeg, Clark, and Andrews together next season, so at least one of them will likely be gone this summer.
The fact Andrews can play guard as well means Haeg is likely the odd man out in this situation since Clark plays mostly tackle.
Andrews has a reasonable salary for the position, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in Indy next season.
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