The Indianapolis Colts suffered a great number of injuries during the 2025 season, and there is no doubt that it affected the season. Besides the decimated cornerback and quarterback groups, kicker was a rotating spot, too. Spencer Shrader won the job in training camp and was solid until he was hurt.
He hurt his MCL and ACL in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders and missed the rest of the season. He is still under contract in 2026 at $1.2 million, and the team needs to think about whether to keep him or not. If he were released, Indy would only have $175,000 in dead cap.
Indianapolis also has to think about what to do with Blake Grupe, who replaced the failed experiment that was Michael Badgley for the final five games of the season. Badgley didn't have an issue making field goals, but he missed several extra point attempts. It was odd.
Indianapolis Colts have a clear question: Blake Grupe or Spencer Shrader?
Grupe is an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, so all the Colts have to do is make him an offer, and he will stay with the team. Indy should. Grupe might have been even better than Spencer was early in the season, and he definitely has a stronger leg. That might be the key to the Indianapolis Colts' kicker decision this offseason.
Plus, how healthy will Spencer be in 2026? His leg obviously allows him to have a job, and if he is still overcoming his knee problem, the team has to let him go.
Still, Spencer made all 14 of his extra point tries, and he missed just one of his 14 field goal attempts. That miss was beyond 50 yards.
Grupe, an outcast from the New Orleans Saints during the season, likely turned his career around with his performance in Indianapolis. He didn't miss any kicks. He made his 10 extra points and his 11 field goal attempts, and, most importantly, he made all four of his tries from beyond 50 yards.
That could be the difference between winning and losing a couple of games. If the 2026 evens out a bit from the roller coaster that was 2025, and if Indianapolis is still hovering around .500, if Grupe makes two long game-winning kicks, that should be enough to get the Colts in the playoffs.
Shrader, if healthy, would also be a solid option as well, but lacks the leg strength of Grupe. The team doesn't need to keep two kickers on the roster, but who general manager Chris Ballard chooses to keep between Spencer Shrader and Blake Grupe could be the difference between Ballard keeping his job in 2027 or not.