Stampede Blue
According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, the Indianapolis Colts have a surprising ‘X-factor’ for the upcoming 2025 regular season, 2nd-year center Tanor Bortolini:
Indianapolis Colts: C Tanor Bortolini
The quarterback position has dominated headlines in Indianapolis, but there’s another, critical storyline to track: the offensive line. Ryan Kelly is not starting as the Colts’ center for the first time since he was drafted in 2016. In his place is Bortolini, a 2024 fourth-round selection who played more than 300 snaps at center in relief of the injured Kelly a year ago.
Bortolini looked pretty solid, but a new center is a new center — especially important when the quarterback is new, as well. We already saw a major protection miscue in the Colts’ preseason with Anthony Richardson Sr. under center. When a young center takes the helm with a quarterback new to the system, as Week 1 starter Daniel Jones is, it’s easy for assignments to get missed in pass protection — and the running game can suffer the same errors.
I liked what I saw on Bortolini’s film, and his movement skills will shine on screens and perimeter runs. How high is his ceiling as an anchor in pass protection and pre-snap processor? It remains to be seen.
For the first time since 2015, following longtime veteran center Ryan Kelly’s expected departure in free agency, the Colts will have a presumed new fixture anchoring the middle of their revamped offensive line.
Originally a 2024 4th round pick of the Colts, Bortolini was selected an offseason ago with the expectation that he’d be the ‘center in waiting’ behind Kelly, who was a pending 2025 free agent.
While Bortolini was regarded as very polished, cerebral, and athletic coming out of Wisconsin, he largely got to be eased into his new starting role with Indianapolis.
That being said, he was thrown into the fire a little earlier than anticipated, as Bortolini made 5 starts as a rookie this past season. He largely held his own, as per PFF, he earned a +65.1 overall grade.
Bortolini being listed as the ‘X-factor’ here is a bit of a breath of fresh air, as it’s seemingly been since demoted 3rd-year quarterback Anthony Richardson for the past two seasons. By all indications, the Colts have a pretty good young starting center in the fold again, but Bortolini will still have to prove it on the field full-time this year.
