INDIANAPOLIS – The objective was to talk with Bernhard Raimann about Bernhard Raimann.
Of the myriad of significant issues to emerge from 2023, the indication Raimann is the Indianapolis Colts left tackle of the future resides near the top of the list.
Game by game, the 2022 third-round draft pick offered evidence he’ll succeed where others have failed – Eric Fisher, Matt Pryor, pick a name – and adequately replace Anthony Castonzo at one of every team’s most critical position.
“I thought Bernhard took a really good step and I think he’s going to continue to get better the more he plays,’’ general manager Chris Ballard said last month.
Added coach Shane Steichen: “Yeah, he did a heckuva job this year. You could see the growth that he played with.
“Shoot, he was firm in there. He did a really nice job for us, for sure.’’
Raimann’s bosses clearly approved of the advances he made from that erratic, thrown-into-the-fire rookie season to a more uneventful Year 2.
And when you’re a left tackle, an uneventful season isn’t a bad thing. That might be especially true when that left tackle is 26 and has played the position for just four years.
Yet, it took a series of questions – and follow-ups – for Bernhard Raimann to finally assess Bernhard Raimann shortly after the Colts closed their season with a 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans.
He talked about 2023 being a much more “positive season’’ for the team and the entire offensive line after a dysfunctional ’22. The Colts finished 4-12-1 and the inability to protect the quarterback-of-the-week – 60 sacks allowed, the second-highest total in franchise history – or consistently run the football were contributing factors.
“You win games again,’’ Raimann said of the Colts finishing 9-8 and falling a few plays short of winning the AFC South. “You’re right in the mix of everything. But you go out in a way that you feel, ‘Oh, if we would have just won that game . . . if we had just played a little better this game.’
“It all comes to the offensive line. As an offensive line, you kind of carry the team on your back.’’
The bounce-back performance was undeniable.
Players routinely praised the impact of new position coach Tony Sparano Jr. and assistant Chris Watt.
“You’re not going to find a guy in here who is not going to run through a wall for (Sparano) because he believes in us as players,’’ Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly said. “He wants the best out of us and that’s what pushes us to be the best players that we can be.’’
The pass protection ranked in the middle of the pack with 41 sacks allowed while the run game returned to prominence despite Jonathan Taylor missing seven games. It ranked 10th in yards per game (121.1) and yards per attempt (4.3), and rushed for at least 150 yards six times.
Raimann echoed Kelly’s assessment regarding Sparano’s influence. He said Sparano brought “love and chemistry’’ into the o-line room.
“He kind of brought a little fire,’’ he said. “Just really brought us together as a group and made sure we got to work every single day and regardless of the circumstances of what was said about us in the preseason and the offseason.
“He really kept us away from that and told us that good things were ahead of us.’’
Finally, Raimann allowed himself to talk about, well, himself.
He was thrown into a maelstrom as a rookie. His first NFL start came on a short week at Denver in prime time, and while he still was dealing with an ankle injury. The results were cringeworthy: five pressures and four penalties, one of which was declined.
By season’s end, Raimann had allowed 7 sacks and 27 pressures, and been penalized nine times. Pro Football Focus graded him at 71.4, No. 52 among tackles.
Year 2 represented a major step forward. That included adding roughly 15 pounds to his 303-pound rookie playing weight. Raimann missed two games with a concussion, but otherwise was a weekly strength along the o-line.
“Obviously lots to work on,’’ he insisted. “Progress has been made, but shoot, you played offensive line and it’s never good enough. There’s always ways to improve. You try to be the best version for your teammates.
“You can’t have bad games.’’
When the Colts were overwhelmed 34-14 in Cincinnati in week 14, Raimann was whipped twice by end Trey Hendrickson.
“You’ve got to be better than that,’’ Raimann said.
According to PFF, Raimann was better than most. He ranked No. 8 among tackles with an 82.3 grade and was considered the league’s ninth-best pass blocking tackle. The premium site had him allowing four sacks, 35 pressures and six penalties.
It finally was mentioned he had a pretty good season.
“I appreciate that,’’ Raimann said with a wide grin. “It’s tough because you definitely take a step in the right direction, but it’s never fast enough. You’re never there.
“But I’ve got some great teammates to lean on. Got to learn from Tony, too. It’s about getting better for next year.’’
That’s the reason it was a more confident Raimann heading into the offseason.
“Everything’s a little bit more positive,’’ he said. “Without the whole coaching change during the season and then without the whole craziness of my rookie year.
“I know what to expect. I know better how to plan it out. I know exactly the timeline of things. It’s definitely more positive than last year.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.