4) Offensive line. This area will be watched, as it should be considering it’s one of the team’s major themes of the preseason. But it’s not yet fair to expect the needed improvements in the run blocking, not with Saturday and Johnson each out. The Colts have dealt with a slew of injuries on the offensive line, and while the team has dealt with injuries in training camps in the past, and while the team has moved new offensive linemen into the lineup in the past, even 10-year veteran right tackle Ryan Diem said this training camp has been a bit more of a challenge than nearly any he could remember. Realistically, there’s no reason to panic yet. Saturday and Johnson don’t seem to be long-term, season-altering situations, and if they return early in the season, the pass blocking should be at the high level it has been in recent seasons. The improvement in the run-blocking could be a season-long process, and the focus will be to improve short-yardage and goal-line, but asking that to happen by the second preseaosn game may be a bit much.
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