The Colts have plenty of work to do along their offensive line, but the path ahead won't include Samson Satele.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the team released the veteran center after 24 starts in Indianapolis over the past two seasons. The Colts later confirmed the move.
Satele's release comes as little surprise. Indy gains $4 million against the cap by cutting a seven-year NFL starter who finished as the league's 31st-ranked center out of 35 qualifiers last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Colts are primed for further changes up front after guard Hugh Thornton graded as the team's second-worst lineman in 2013, per PFF. While Andrew Luck absorbed fewer sacks last season (32) after a whopping 50 takedowns the year before, the quarterback still took too many bone-crushing hits in the pocket.
Alex Mack would have been an outstanding free-agent target for Indy, but the Browns slapped the center with the transition tag, ensuring Cleveland a chance to match any deal he nets on the open market.
Other names include Brian De La Puente, Evan Dietrich-Smith and Ryan Wendell. One way or another, we fully expect Indy's line to look vastly different come September.
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