Braden Smith‘s personal matter will keep him off the field for the rest of the season. The Colts announced they’ve placed the offensive tackle on the reserve/non-football illness list. In a corresponding move, the team promoted Mark Glowinski from the practice squad.
Smith sat out Indy’s Week 13 contest while dealing with the unreported personal issue, and the team was off during their Week 14 bye. When the Colts return to the field Sunday, they’ll be without their starting OT and have to navigate the rest of the season without the veteran.
The 2018 second-round pick has spent his entire career with the Colts, starting 92 of his 94 appearances (plus another three playoff starts). Pro Football Focus has generally graded Smith as one of the league’s better OTs, including a 2023 campaign where he ranked fifth among 81 qualifying players. In 2024, Smith ranks 46th among 81 qualifiers.
Still attached to a four-year, $72.4M contract he inked in 2021, Smith has struggled to stay on the field in recent years. With the lineman now out for the 2024 campaign, Smith will have missed at least five games in three of the past four years. Third-round rookie Matt Goncalves will continue to fill in at right tackle for the rest of the season.
Colts center Ryan Kelly won’t be activated for Sunday’s game, meaning Tanor Bortolini will continue to start for the squad. With two OL mainstays out of the lineup, Glowinski will provide some veteran depth in case the Colts lose another blocker. Glowinski had a four-year stint as the Colts starting right guard before he left for the Giants during the 2022 offseason. The 32-year-old was cut back in March, but it took him until November to catch on with Indy’s practice squad.
