When the Colts signed Jeff Linkenbach as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati in 2010, the book on him was pretty straightforward. He was a try-hard guy, lacking in footwork, who had problems with speed rushers, but could generally handle bull-rushers well. ColtPlay's prediction at the time was that he could well eke out a living as a backup at right tackle and both guard spots.
And that's what the Colts intended. But injuries, poor play and poor planning have led to Linkenbach playing in all 48 regular-season games since then, starting 28. He's played every line position except center.
ColtPlay hates to be harsh, but Linkenbach has been plainly overmatched at tackle, right or left. His problem with speed rushers hasn't gotten any better, and the bull rushers in the NFL are much stronger than the ones he faced in the Big East. Fans and even media have been cruel in their criticism. TV analyst Chris Collinsworth even called him "the weakest Linkenbach" on a nationally broadcast game.
In 2012, Linkenbach made five starts at left guard, four starts at right tackle and also played a few downs at right guard and left tackle. At tackle, he was a liability. On 191 pas plays, he allowed four sacks, three hits and 17 hurries. That means he was beaten on 12.57 percent of every pass play he blocked for (for comparison, right tackle Winston Justice was beaten on just 7.34 percent). At guard, Linkenbach allowed no sacks, but five hits and 16 hurries, for a 6.30 failure rate. That might sound good, but guards usually fare far better than tackles on that measure — Linkenbach's score is not as terrible as the one he had at tackle, but it still isn't very good. What makes it all worse is that Linkenbach is considered a better pass blocker than run blocker.
Will other teams bid for him?: Maybe, but they won't bid much. Linkebach's a good try-hard guy with experience at four of five line positions.
Chances he'll be back: Actually, pretty good. The Colts O-line needs a huge overhaul. At this point, only one of the five starting positions is held by a player considered a long-term solution (left tackle Anthony Castonzo). While Linkebach was terrible at tackle, he was actually as good or better than the other guys the Colts trotted out there at guard. Don't read that as saying he was good; just above par for the group he was in. There's an old football truism (that ColtPlay believes) that assumes that consistency is very important for offensive line play. It proffers that linemen who have played together for a while develop a superior level of communication — both spoken and tacit — that allows them to play above their talent level. So while the Colts are desperately looking for offensive line prospects to build around, they very well might invest a few bucks in a guy like Linkenbach who can be an effective backup at both guard spots and has played with the Colts for a few years now. But he should come with a consumer warning label: Please do not start at tackle, dangerous situations could develop.
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