Chuck Pagano on Jack Mewhort at right tackle: "I sleep well at night knowing that he's in there"

It is almost certain that, of the five starters along the offensive line for the Colts in week one this year, only one will be starting at the same spot he did last year in week one.  That would be left tackle Anthony Castonzo, but other than him there has been a lot of shuffling in the past year.

The team brought in Todd Herremans to start at right guard, while Khaled Holmes is likely to start at center.  He started several games to end the season last year, but not early on.  At left guard is likely either Lance Louis or Hugh Thornton, neither of whom started at left guard in week one (though Thornton was starting at right guard to open the year).  And then at right tackle is Jack Mewhort, who did start 17 games last year (including playoffs) - all but one of which was at left guard.  He's a returning starter from a year ago, but he's moving to a different position because of the release of Gosder Cherilus.

Mewhort is no newcomer to the right tackle position, however.  He played there during his time at Ohio State in college, started a game there last year for the Colts, and then has been working at the position all throughout the offseason and training camp.  There are concerns along the offensive line for the Colts, but right tackle isn't even close to being one of the biggest ones.  Instead, head coach Chuck Pagano is very confident in the second-year lineman doing a good job at his 'new' position.

"I don't even worry about it," Pagano said on Saturday.  "Right now, I mean that's the guy in, and until he proves otherwise, I sleep well at night knowing that he's in there.  He's been great.  He's consistent, he doesn't make mental errors, he's on the right guy (in the) run game, pass game.  Tough guy.  He's going to be a good player for us."

It's always hard to tell just how well offensive (or defensive) linemen are doing in training camp, but so far Jack Mewhort has done a solid job at everything the Colts have asked him to do.  His technique looks good and he clearly knows what he's doing out there.  We'll have to see how he holds up in live game action, but he looks good doing it during training camp, at least.  As general manager Ryan Grigson said on the radio last week, if Mewhort gets beat it won't be because of his technique or because he made the same mistake twice.

So far in training camp, Jack Mewhort has looked good at right tackle, and he has experience playing there too.  If Chuck Pagano (or Colts fans) is going to lose sleep over an offensive line position, it certainly shouldn't be over Jack Mewhort at right tackle.