Field goal failures doomed the Colts on Monday night. Indianapolis is taking steps toward ensuring it doesn't happen again.
The Colts are working out kickers Wednesday in an effort to find a potential replacement for Rodrigo Blankenship, whose hip injury limited him in Indianapolis' overtime loss to Baltimore on Monday night. Free agents Brett Maher, Mike Badgley, Aldrick Rosas and Riley Patterson are among those working out for the Colts, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Blankenship made two of his field goal attempts in the game, had one blocked and missed another that would have won the Colts the game in its final seconds. Blankenship also finished with a point-after attempt conversion rate of 50 percent.
Indianapolis was well aware of Blankenship's hip issue and how it was limiting him during the game. The Colts trotted out punter Rigoberto Sanchez to attempt a field goal just before halftime, which Sanchez missed. An offsides penalty wiped out the miss, though, giving the Colts a second chance. Indianapolis responded by sending the ailing Blankenship out for the kick, which he converted from 37 yards out.
Blankenship finished his night by missing a 47-yard attempt in the final seconds of a game tied at 25-25. Baltimore went on to win with a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Marquise Brown in overtime.
Badgley's now-nomadic NFL career began in Indianapolis, where he signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of Miami in 2018. A strong preseason produced quality audition tape for other teams, and Badgley landed with the Chargers following his release from the Colts.
He's since played in at least one game in every season from 2018 through the current campaign, but has seen his consistency decline with each season. Los Angeles released him at the end of camp this summer in favor of Tristan Vizcaino, and Tennessee bid Badgley adieu after he missed his only field goal attempt with the team.
Maher, meanwhile, hasn't appeared in an NFL regular-season game since the 2019 season while with the Cowboys. He's bounced around a few practice squads since then (Jets, Washington, Texans, Cardinals, Saints).
Rosas spent the first four weeks of the 2021 season with the Saints. The former Giants and Jaguars kicker hit all 13 of his extra points and went 1-of-4 on field-goal attempts.
Patterson, a UDFA signed and released by the Vikings this offseason, has never kicked in the NFL.
