Colts Waive Michael Badgley, Sign Recently Cut Kicker

Badgley’s second stint in Indianapolis came with flashes of reliability, but the inconsistency finally caught up. He missed three extra points in seven games — inexcusable for a team with playoff aspirations.

The Colts originally brought Badgley in after standout sophomore Spencer Shrader went down with an injury against the Raiders in Week 5. What was supposed to be a short-term fix turned into a mounting concern as the postseason picture tightened.

Indianapolis has leaned on situational football all year, winning close games with complementary play and late-game execution. A shaky kicking operation becomes impossible to overlook once every possession starts carrying playoff weight.

Badgley handled the job since Shrader’s injury, but his margin for error evaporated in a season where every point matters. The decision to move on now reflects a staff that refuses to let special-teams volatility linger into December.

Enter Blake Grupe, who impressed the Colts in a workout earlier in the day before the team made the Badgley move official. Indianapolis moved quickly to add him, signing him to the practice squad with the clear intention of stabilizing the operation.

Grupe arrives after going 18-of-26 on field goals (69.2%) with New Orleans this season before being waived on November 25th. His leg talent has never been in question, but Indianapolis will now test whether a new environment and a new role can unlock more consistency.

The Colts’ special-teams unit has been strong in most areas, from Rigoberto Sanchez’s punting to disciplined coverage play. The one missing piece has been trust in the kicking game, and today’s moves show how aggressively the team is trying to correct that.

Signing Grupe isn’t just about depth — it’s about competition and immediate insurance. The Colts clearly expect this spot to be settled fast as they march into the most demanding stretch of the season.

Badgley’s release and Grupe’s arrival send the same message: Indianapolis isn’t wasting time on uncertainty. This franchise is pushing toward January, and the margin for error now includes zero tolerance for instability at kicker.

The hope now is that Grupe gives this team the stability it’s been missing.