Spencer Shrader, Maddux Trujillo in 'open competition' for Colts' kicker job
Spencer Shrader may be the favorite to be the Indianapolis Colts' kicker for the 2025 season, but as special teams coordinator Brian Mason said on Wednesday, this is still an open competition.
'Spencer certainly has a little bit of a step up in that," said Mason, via 107.5 The Fan. "He's already been in the league, already been here, but it is definitely an open competition. That's how I view it."
Competing with Shrader is undrafted rookie Maddux Trujillo. This past season at Temple, Trujillo made all 21 extra point attempts and he was 16-for-22 overall, which included going 5-for-5 from 40-49 yards and 5-of-8 from 50-plus, per PFF.
'We think (Trujillo is) very similar to what Spencer was last year,' special teams coordinator Mason said earlier this offseason via the Indy Star. 'Maybe, statistically, wasn't what you'd think you'd be looking for from a college standpoint, less than an 80% kicker. … But you can see a lot of guys — even Harrison Butker was less than 80% in college — if they have the talent and mental makeup, be able to take the next step.'
Shrader, meanwhile, joined the Colts last offseason as an undrafted rookie as well. He would spend the summer with team and was their kicker in Week 1 while Matt Gay was sidelined.
Through the first half of the 2024 season, Shrader was on and off the Colts' practice squad before briefly catching on with Kansas City and the New York Jets in the latter portion of the year.
Appearing in four total games between his three stops, Shrader was 5-for-5 on field goals and 9-for-9 on extra points. His ability to bounce from one team to the next, while working with different holders and long-snappers, while remaining consistent, caught GM Chris Ballard's attention.
"He leaves us and performs and performs at two different teams –you know how hard that is?" GM Chris Ballard said. "That's difficult now, to go to two different teams and have to perform – that is not easy. You're working with a totally different operation at both – different snapper and different holder – and to go in and be successful."
So far, both kickers are off to strong starts during offseason programs. Ultimatley, consistency will determine who the Colts' kicker is come Week 1.
"Both these guys are talented young kickers and we're going to end up going with whichever guy performs the best under pressure, both in training camp and joint practices," added Mason.
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