While he didn’t make this year’s Top 10, Bernhard Raimann appears to be right on the cusp of possibly earning such honors going forward—including a potential Pro Bowl nod.
While Indianapolis Colts’ 4th-year offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann didn’t crack the top ten among players at his position per ESPN’s annual league survey, he did receive an ‘honorable mention’:
Bernhard Raimann, Indianapolis Colts: ”He is a good example of sticking with a player. He started slowly but has continued to improve and was really good last year.” — Veteran NFL scout
The survey, published yearly by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, is conducted among league executives, scouts, and coaches alike to find the top 10 players at each respective position.
Since being selected in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Raimann has done nothing but get better since joining Indianapolis.
The former converted collegiate tight from Central Michigan has overcome some ‘shorter arms’ stigmas at the NFL to quickly emerge as one of the NFL’s top young offensive tackles—featuring exceptional feet, quickness, and athleticism.
Raimann has started 29 total games along the blindside for the Colts the past two seasons.
Per PFF, Raimann was their 8th highest graded offensive tackle with a +85.1 overall grade—highlighted by a +82.0 pass blocking grade. Specifically, in pass protection, Raimann allowed just 4 total sacks and 20 QB pressures during 471 total pass blocking snaps.
Entering a contract season for Indianapolis, Raimann is really poised to earn a highly lucrative multi-year contract at one of the league’s premium positions. His pending mega-payday is presumably a big reason as to why the Colts allowed a pair of starting interior offensive lineman, Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, to depart in free agency to allocate that cap space elsewhere—particularly to Raimann along the offensive line next offseason.
While Raimann hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl nod for the Colts yet, he appears to be on the cusp.