It’s difficult during this time of the year to truly evaluate offensive line play when the pads aren’t on and contact isn’t allowed. But so far, Indianapolis Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen likes what he is seeing from Matt Goncalves as he acclimates to playing guard.
“I think he’s learning inside there, but I think he’s done a really nice job,” Steichen said on Tuesday. “Again, like you said, when the pads come on, that will be very valuable for him going into training camp. But he’s settled in pretty nicely to that guard spot, so we’re going to keep working him.”
Offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. said during OTAs that Goncalves would be competing with the other guards on the roster for that starting right guard role, but this is Goncalves’ job for the taking.
While tackle and guard both fall under the offensive lineman umbrella, playing inside vs. out are two very different positions. At guard, compared to tackle, the action happens a lot more quickly, and the physicality intensifies.
As Sparano would mention, the Colts did play Goncalves at guard during practices last season, and the team saw him progress as he got more playing time. But when it comes to actual in-game experience there, Goncalve’s opportunities have been limited.
During his career at Pittsburgh, only 44 of Goncalves’ 1,757 snaps came at guard. Last season with the Colts, only one snap came inside.
After not re-signing Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, the Colts are banking heavily on the development of two relatively inexperienced players in Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini to provide stability to the interior offensive line.
“I look at his skill set and the skill set that he has,” Sparano said. “He’s a big man. He’s got power. He’s got length and he’s really, deceptively very light on his feet. He’s quick. He can get out in space, you saw some of the stuff he did in the run game out in space last year was very good. That about his skill set excited me, plus he’s a really tough physical player. For our guards, that is non-negotiable, they gotta be that way and he is that way.”