Spencer Shrader wins Colts kicking competition; Blake Grupe waived
The Colts announced Spencer Shrader won the team's preseason kicking competition and will serve as the rostered kicker for the season; the team waived Blake Grupe.
The Indianapolis Colts announced that Spencer Shrader won their preseason kicking competition and will return as the team's kicker for the season. The team waived Blake Grupe, who had joined the Colts in December and made all 11 of his field-goal attempts over the final five games of the 2025 season; the team noted Grupe could quickly sign elsewhere.
Shrader made all five of his field-goal attempts across the Colts' three preseason games, hitting attempts from 46, 48, 57, 60 and 61 yards (including a 60-yard field goal in the preseason finale vs. the Detroit Lions). The club also noted Shrader had been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month last September and that he missed most of the 2025 season with ACL and MCL injuries; his career numbers in the article were 18 of 19 field goals and 23 of 23 extra points.
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