Colts Sign Guard Ben Heenan from CFL

Just one day after announcing that they had agreed to terms with highly sought-after CFL wide receiver Duron Carter, the Indianapolis Colts announced this evening that they have signed another player from the Canadian Football League: offensive guard Ben Heenan.

Heenan, a 6-4, 316 pound lineman, was the first overall pick in the 2012 CFL Draft and spent the last three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  He played in 52 games, starting 49, and started all 21 games in 2014.  Primarily a guard, Heenan also saw time at tackle in the CFL and that versatility is something that the Colts love in their offensive linemen.  He should provide the Colts with a player that can play all over the offensive line, and that's a good thing and something that likely caught the eye of general manager Ryan Grigson.  Prior to joining the CFL, Heenan played four seasons at the University of Saskatchewan (2008-2011), seeing action at both guard and tackle.

Under Ryan Grigson, the Colts have gone to the Canadian Football League quite a bit as a pipeline for talent.  In 2012, Grigson signed linebacker Jerrell Freeman, who has been a starter for the past three seasons.  Last year, Grigson signed the former first overall pick in the 2011 CFL Draft in Henoc Muamba, and he stuck around this season as a backup linebacker and special teams guy.  Then this year, Grigson has already signed both Duron Carter and Ben Heenan.  It's nice to see the Colts looking in different places for talent, and hopefully some of these moves work out.

"His size and athleticism intrigued us on the film and it was then verified in his workout here at our facility," Grigson told Colts.com's Kevin Bowen about Heenan.  "What impressed me personally at the workout was his endurance and the ability to move his feet in pass pro and maintain a good football position for the duration. He's a big guy with excellent intangibles, which is usually a good recipe for an interior offensive lineman. We look forward to gauging his development throughout the offseason program."

We all know that the offensive line is a big issue for the Colts, so it's nice to see them take a chance on a young guy like Heenan who played well in the CFL and is versatile.  Hopefully, the move works out, but either way, it's a low risk move for the Colts and it's hard not to like those.