Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson has a lot to prove going into his sixth season in the NFL.
The three-time All-Pro selection didn’t play like his usual dominant self in 2022. How much of that stemmed from the lacking play of the entire offensive line isn’t clear, but Nelson took a hit in CBS Sports’ interior offensive linemen rankings.
After holding the No. 2 spot entering last season, Nelson dropped two spots on the list.
The Colts’ offensive line took a major freefall in 2022, and Nelson was at the epicenter of it. Nelson, who allowed just four sacks in his first four seasons, allowed five in 686 pass-blocking snaps last season. On top of the sacks, Nelson allowed 30 pressures (allowed just 28 total the previous two seasons) and had a career worst pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.4%.
Why is Nelson ranked so high after a poor season? Nelson had three First Team All-Pro selections and four All-Pro selections overall in his first four seasons, dominating tackles and edge rushers in pass blocking and run blocking.
The 2022 season may be an outlier for Nelson rather than the norm.
Ahead of Nelson on this list included guard Joel Bitonio (No. 3), center Jason Kelce (No. 2) and guard Zack Martin (No. 1).
Does Nelson care about these rankings? No, and nor should he. But he does care about the product that’s being put on the field.
How much of Nelson’s struggles can be attributed to injuries and the overall circus of 2022 is difficult to measure. The putrid play of the quarterback position also had a hand in the offensive line’s struggles.
Still, the Colts need Nelson to find his form again. With a rookie quarterback arriving in the form of Anthony Richardson, his mobility and elusiveness should help the offensive line. But they need to help him as well.
The three-time All-Pro is looking for a major bounce-back campaign as he enters his sixth season, hoping to climb the list of top interior players going into 2024.
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