Indianapolis Colts 2020 Prospectus: Special Teams

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» The Colts' kicking game had its struggles throughout the 2020 season. Overall, the Colts ranked 29th in the league in field goal average (70.97 percent) and last in extra-point conversion percentage (84.62). Indy also had two field goal attempts blocked, tied with four other teams for the most in the league. Accordingly, veteran kicker Adam Vinatieri had a roller-coaster season. He did have a strong stretch from Weeks 3-7, converting 10-of-12 field goal attempts and 11-of-12 extra point tries, including Week 7, when he hit 3-of-4 field goal attempts, including the game-winner from 51 yards out, to earn AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Honors. But he also missed some crucial kicks, and would go on injured reserve and undergo knee surgery after the Colts' Week 13 last-minute loss to the Titans. Rookie Chase McLaughlin was brought on from that point and had a solid finish to the season, converting 5-of-6 field goals and all 11 extra-point attempts over the final four games of the year. As it stands now, McLaughlin and undrafted rookie Rodrigo Blankenship will battle it out for the Colts' kicking job heading into training camp, while Vinatieri remains a free agent should he want to return for a 25th NFL season in 2020.


» While the Colts' punt coverage units were solid once again in 2019, the kickoff return units will need some work to get back to the top-10 form they showed in 2018. That year, Indy ranked eighth in the league by allowing just 22.04 yards per kickoff return. In 2019, however, the Colts allowed 24.74 yards per kickoff return, ranking 25th in the NFL. While Sanchez was among the league's best at getting touchbacks on kickoffs — his 75.9-percent kickoff touchback percentage and 60 total kickoff touchbacks ranked sixth and tied for sixth in the NFL, respectively — special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone will assuredly want to get better results from his coverage units when Indy's kickoffs are taken out of the end zone.