The Colts have one of the best kicker/punter duos in the NFL. There's a chance they could both be elsewhere next season.
Both kicker Adam Vinatieri and punter Pat McAfee are due to become free agents on March 11. Both Vinatieri and McAfee had tremendous seasons in 2013, but there is some uncertainty as to whether they both will be back. It seems likely that the 41-year old Vinatieri will be back with Indianapolis, as he wants to return the Colts and I'm sure they'll be willing to re-sign him for a reasonable price. McAfee's future in Indy, however, is more uncertain. He is a fan favorite who, while playing on the franchise tag in 2013, set a Colts franchise record for the most punts downed inside the 20 yard line last year.
Fans would love McAfee to return, but the big question is for how much money, and would the Colts be willing to spend that amount of money on him? They didn't sign him to a long-term deal last offseason but instead choose to use the franchise tag, and that could indicate a hesitance to commit big money to a punter. I could see McAfee giving the Colts an edge because he loves Indy, but I think that would only be if the Colts and another team offered a similar deal. I just don't know how much the Colts will be willing to spend on McAfee, and I'm anything but confident that McAfee will be back next year.
Obviously, with kickers and punters teams only keep one each, so if the Colts re-sign Vinatieri and McAfee this position isn't one of need at all. I'm pretty confident that Vinatieri will be back, but I'm much less certain about McAfee. If one or both of them leave in free agency, the Colts will need to replace them.
Potential Special Teams Options for teams this Offseason:
Free Agents (keep in mind some of these players will be re-signed by their current team)
Kickers:
- Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
- Phil Dawson, San Francisco 49ers
- Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks
- Nick Folk, New York Jets
- Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers
- Josh Brown, New York Giants
- Jay Feely, Arizona Cardinals
Punters:
- Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts
- Donnie Jones, Philadelphia Eagles
- Chris Jones, Dallas Cowboys
Kickers:
- Chris Boswell, Rice
- Zach Hocker, Arkansas
- Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson
Punters:
- Tom Hornsey, Memphis
- Cody Webster, Purdue
- Kirby Van Der Kamp, Iowa State
- Pat O'Donnell, Miami