Colts player named a breakout player of the year

While the Indianapolis Colts fell just short of their goal of making the playoffs, they still outplayed the national expectation many had for their team. 

And for one player in particular, 2023 will forever be remembered as the year he truly arrived on the NFL scene and cemented himself as a long-term starter for the Colts. 

That player being LT Bernhard Raimann, who was named one of the breakout players of the 2023 season by Pro Football Focus. 

Raimann was one of two offensive tackles selected by PFF for this honor, the other being Green Bay Packers' 2022 fourth-round pick Zach Tom. 

When explaining why Raimann was selected, PFF writer Jim Wyman had this to say: 

"We’ve gone through all the offensive skill position players before the preseason breakout list gets its first hit. Raimann was a raw prospect out of Central Michigan, having played offensive tackle for only a couple of years before becoming a third-round pick by the Colts.

He showed some promise as a rookie in 2022, as both his run- and pass-blocking grades came out above 70.0. He broke out in year two, finishing as the seventh-highest-graded tackle in the NFL (82.3). Raimann continued to be very well-rounded as a pass blocker and a run blocker, grading out at 80.6 and 74.6 in those fields, respectively. He allowed just four sacks all year, and they all came against elite pass rushers — Myles Garrett, Josh Allen and Trey Hendrickson* twice."

_{* Wyman mistakenly says Bernhard Raimann played Trey Hendrickson twice, but what he meant to say is Josh Allen.} 

Raimann was one of the most consistent Colts this year and played a major role in their offensive line having a bounce-back year. While this was the best year of his young career so far, I believe his best football is in front of him. There are still things to work on with his game, which gives a clear picture of how he can still improve, and I believe we will see yet another jump next year. He will enter 2024 as the locked-in LT of the future for the Colts.