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[TDJets72027]

With Tarik Glenn announcing his retirement this weekend, Howard Mudd will get a chance to prove he's one of the league's best offensive line coaches during training camp. Protecting Peyton Manning's blindside is one of the most important jobs on planet Earth, and the fact that the responsibility could fall to a rookie (Tony Ugoh) or a second-year player with nary a career start (Charlie Johnson) has to be a little worrisome.

Mudd (who looks a hell of a lot like Artie) does have an impressive record: The offensive line allowed a league-low 155 sacks in its last 128 games, and Edgerrin James flourished behind this unit (for an idea of what happens when you put a good back behind a dreadful o-line, see James' numbers with the Cardinals last season).

Swell stats aside, Mudd's biggest challenge might be getting all five members of the line on the same page. The Colts don't have a marquee player like Orlando Pace or Steve Hutchinson, but instead, rely on above-average talent working together at a Pro Bowl level. Glenn, for example, played in 101 consecutive games, and center Jeff Saturday and Manning have started 110 games together.

Bottom line: It won't be shocking if Ugoh or Johnson struggle early in the season -- they're new, it happens -- but how quickly they adjust to protecting The Franchise will -- right or wrong -- directly reflect on Mudd.

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[Dam8610]

Chance to prove? I didn't know more was required to prove it than building great lines out of waiver wire acquisitions and Day 2 picks (aside from Tarik Glenn) for nearly a decade. How foolish of me.