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Selecting the Colts All-Time 53-Man Roster: Offensive and Defensive Lines Pt. II

By Brett Mock
Indianapolis Colts v Houston Texans Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

John Farley at Field Gulls, the Seattle Seahawks SB Nation blog, had a fantastic idea for an interactive story during the slowest time of the NFL off-season. He put together a list of the franchise’s all-time 53-man roster that culminated into this story.

The Colts have had their own rich history of players who should not be forgotten and who deserve the kind of recognition that Hall of Fame voters and fans of other franchise’s might never see. This is the chance for the Stampede Blue Colts fan community to look back at Colts greats and vote for who they believe belongs on the all-time team.

We now move to the trenches. The offensive and defensive lines have not been the most celebrated units on either side of the football for quite some time in Indianapolis. However, there is a rich history at each position in the trenches spanning back to the franchise’s roots. Which of these players deserve a spot on the Colts all-time 53?

Each position will have the following roster spots: Center (2), Guard (3), Tackle (4), Defensive Tackle (5), Defensive End (5).

For those concerned about deserving players not making the cut, we will include a 10 player practice squad designation and discuss the biggest snubs.

Center

Indianapolis Colts v Baltimore Ravens Photo by Larry French/Getty Images

Two center clearly differentiated themselves in the early voting for the all-time 53. Both Jeff Saturday and Ray Donaldson will represent the Colts on this list.

Guard

NFL Divisional Playoffs - Baltimore Ravens v Indianapolis Colts Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

As I mentioned in the initial poll for the guard position, it is one of the more underrated and underappreciated positions along the offensive line. This can make it more difficult for a player to truly leave a lasting impact on the fans, young and old. Two players in the Peyton Manning era received high enough votes to be included on the list but no other player receiver 10% ore more of the vote.

Please choose the final member of the Colts all-time 53 at guard from the list below.

Poll

Which Colts Guard Must Be on the Colts All-Time 53

This poll is closed

  • 12%
    Robert Pratt
    (39 votes)
  • 14%
    Glenn Ressler
    (43 votes)
  • 28%
    Art Spinney
    (88 votes)
  • 44%
    Dan Sullivan
    (137 votes)
307 votes total Vote Now

Tackle

Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars - December 11, 2005 Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Three Colts tackles have earned enough votes to be included on the all-time 53 list. Tarik Glenn, Chris Hinton, and Jim Parker will join their teammates. This leaves one more spot for an offensive tackle and we need your help to choose who will receive the final spot.

Poll

Which Colts Tackle Must Be on the Colts All-Time 53

This poll is closed

  • 61%
    Ryan Diem
    (265 votes)
  • 17%
    Adam Meadows
    (74 votes)
  • 21%
    Bob Vogel
    (92 votes)
431 votes total Vote Now

Defensive Tackle

Tony Siragusa

Two defensive tackles earned enough votes to immediately find their way onto the all-time 53: Art Donovan and Tony Siragusa. I suspect the the remaining players might take require a bit more research and some of our more seasoned fans will likely have a better insight on who belongs from the remaining group. This should be a good chance to learn about the team’s history for those who don’t recognize the names.

Poll

Which Colts Defensive Tackle Must Be on the Colts All-Time 53

This poll is closed

  • 16%
    John Dutton
    (61 votes)
  • 28%
    Ellis Johnson
    (102 votes)
  • 27%
    Gene Lipscomb
    (98 votes)
  • 3%
    Fred Miller
    (11 votes)
  • 24%
    Billy Ray Smith Sr.
    (88 votes)
360 votes total Vote Now

Defensive End

AFC Wild Card Playoff Game - Kansas City Chiefs vs Indianapolis Colts - January 6, 2007 Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

The primary vote earners at this position were no surprise. Dwight Freeney, Gino Marchetti, and Bubba Smith are all deserving of being on the Colts all-time team. This leaves 2 more spots for players that younger Colts fans might not recognize. Similar with defensive tackle, this is a good chance to learn a bit more about the team’s history at defensive end.

Poll

Which Colts Defensive End Must Be on the All-Time 53

This poll is closed

  • 5%
    Mike Barnes
    (22 votes)
  • 10%
    Ordell Braase
    (42 votes)
  • 17%
    Chad Bratzke
    (72 votes)
  • 26%
    Raheem Brock
    (110 votes)
  • 20%
    John Hand
    (85 votes)
  • 3%
    Roy Hilton
    (15 votes)
  • 15%
    Cory Redding
    (63 votes)
  • 2%
    Donnell Thompson
    (10 votes)
419 votes total Vote Now

Once this group is complete we will move on to everyone’s favorites - the specialists.

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