When the offseason began, most handicappers made Blake Grupe the favorite to win the Indianapolis Colts kicking job this season. Grupe had been impressive in the second half of 2025. He had a big leg. Bigger at least than his competition, Spencer Shrader. But as the preseason wore on, Grupe was unable to maintain whatever lead he may have had.
And Shrader proved to be a stone-cold killer.
The Colts made it unofficially official before roster cuts when it was reported the team would release Grupe. The club announced they were waiving Grupe about an hour before the deadline for setting the final 53-man roster.
Spencer Shrader wins the Indianapolis Colts kicker job for the second straight year
Shrader won the Colts job last season, beating out Maddux Trujillo. He was off to an outstanding campaign when an injury ended his season in Week 5. Up to that point, Shrader had missed just one kick on the season (a 51-yard field goal try against the Titans in a blowout win).
In his career, which also included fill-in stints with the Jets and Chiefs, that 51-yarder was the only kick Shrader has ever missed. Still, there were concerns about his distance. In an era when 55-yard kicks have become layups, Grupe appeared to be the more reliable long-range kicker.
For the Colts last year, Grupe was even better than Shrader. He did not miss a single kick. That included the second 60-yard conversion of his career. But this preseason, things went in radically different directions for the two kickers.
Grupe missed both field goal attempts in the first two games. He bounced back with a two-for-two performance in the final contest, but one of them barely snuck in off the upright. Meanwhile, Shrader was erasing all doubts.
Shrader converted all five of his field goal attempts during the three games. More importantly, he did it from distance. Two of his kicks were from 60 yards or greater. Another was from 53. Most of them were dead center. When he blasted a 61-yarder against the Lions on Saturday, the decision appeared certain.
Now that the Colts have made it official, Grupe hits the waiver wire. Despite his shaky August, there should be a lot of interest in a young kicker with a big leg who had great success last year. But it will not be with the Colts.
Shrader did not exactly come out of nowhere to win this job. In his short career, he has proved very accurate and very reliable. This summer, it appears he recognized that to hold onto a coveted NFL spot, he would have to increase his distance as well. He has done that very effectively.
Now Spencer Shrader gets to take his place in a line of kickers that runs from Dean Biasucci to Mike Vanderjagt to Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri. No one can say he hasn’t earned his spot this year.
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