The Indianapolis Colts found their new left tackle Monday when they signed former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher on Monday. He might not be ready for Week 1, however.
Fisher is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered during the AFC Championship Game. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach had said in March there was some optimism Fisher could be back sometime in August. However, the Colts are bracing for a slightly lengthier timeline in terms of recovery.
Stephen Holder of The Athletic reported the Colts are “estimating late September” for when Fisher will be at 100 percent.
This has been simmering even though he left the visit without a contract. Now done.
I was told the Colts are estimating late September is the timeframe when Fisher will be 100 percent. We shall see. https://t.co/KgRgcHmKfE
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) May 10, 2021
Indianapolis had one of the best offensive lines in football last season. But the Colts found a need open up at left tackle when veteran offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo announced his retirement.
There was some speculation general manager Chris Ballard would look to upgrade the O-line during the NFL draft. But Ballard very clearly prioritized the team's pass-rush unit, waiting until the seventh round to take an offensive lineman in Will Fries.
However, the Colts were not without options following the draft. Fisher was among the top options available.
The former No. 1 overall pick has been one of the better players at the left tackle position especially in recent years. Fisher made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and, after an injury-riddled 2019 season, earned his second selection in 2020. He probably had the highest upside of any left tackle still on the open market, though the injury obviously played a role in his not being signed prior to Monday.
Indianapolis will likely hope Fisher can be an anchor on the blind side for new quarterback Carson Wentz. But the Colts do not appear overly eager to rush him back to action.
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