Under the radar position battle for Colts in 2026 training camp
There is one upcoming training camp battle for the Colts that is perhaps flying under the radar.
One upcoming training camp battle for the Indianapolis Colts that may be flying under the radar is at the kicker position. This summer, Spencer Shrader and Blake Grupe will be competing for the Colts ' kicking job. "Spencer's rehabbing well and obviously getting Grupe back will be big for us," Shane Steichen said at the NFL league meetings, via Colts.
com . "And so we'll go through that process in training camp, let those guys kick and see where it goes. " Grupe was a free agent this offseason, but the Colts chose to re-sign him after he provided stability at kicker during the second half of 2025.
The Colts signed Grupe later in the season after experiencing inconsistency at kicker with Michael Badgley, who replaced Shrader after he was placed on injured reserve with a season-ending ACL injury. From Week 14 through the end of the season, Grupe was a perfect 10-for-10 on field goal attempts and 11-for-11 on extra points, according to PFF . He provided the Colts with needed stability at the position.
Before Shrader's injury, he was 14-for-14 on extra points and 13-of-14 on field goals, which includes hitting a game-winner against Denver. Grupe brings more experience to the position with 105 career field goal attempts over three seasons, compared to Shrader's 19 career attempts. With Badgley at the helm for several weeks last year, the Colts felt the effects of inconsistency at the kicker position.