Spencer

Shrader

The first report of Shrader’s season-ending injury came from The Pat McAfee Show. Shrader, who has made 13-of-14 field goals for the Colts this season, exited Week 5’s game against the Raiders after a defender collided with his knee. It didn’t look good the moment it happened, so the season-ending report doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Shrader reportedly tore multiple ligaments in his knee, but will hopefully be able to return in time for the 2026 season. The Colts will bring in a new kicker later this week.

Officially, Shrader has been ruled out with a knee issue after a defender crashed into his kicking leg following an extra point, but it also looked like it could be a severe leg or ankle issue. Either way, the Colts won’t have a kicker for the second half, and will be on the market for a replacement this week. Shrader competed with Matt Gay in training camp, but Gay is now the kicker in Washington.

It makes sense after the Colts signed Shrader to a two-year contract shortly before releasing Matt Gay, who later signed with the Commanders. Maddux Trujillo, an undrafted free agent out of Temple, would appear to be next in line for the team’s starting gig if Shrader — who made all five of his 2024 field goal tries — falters in the summer. The Colts in 2024 attempted 37 field goals, the 13th most in the league.

Gay, who signed as a free agent in 2023, made 64-of-78 field goals (82.1 percent) and 68-of-69 PATs (98.6 percent) in 33 games with the Colts. The six-year veteran was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021 with the Rams, helping his team win a Super Bowl that season. The move leaves the Colts with Spencer Shrader as the lone kicker on their roster. Per Over the Cap, the move creates $2.75 million in cap space for the Colts.

Shrader joined the Colts as an undrafted free agent rookie last year before briefly spending time on both the Jets and Chiefs’ rosters. A right-leg hamstring strain sidelined him at the end of the season but, on the season, he converted 5-of-5 field goals and 9-of-9 extra points. The Athletic’s James Boyd notes that incumbent K Matt Gay remains on the roster, and that the signing was done “to promote more competition throughout the roster.” The team can save $4 million by cutting Gay after June 1.

Wright will kick in place of injured backup K Spencer Shrader (right hamstring). Wright was a reliable extra-point kicker for the Chiefs in 2022 but his leg became a little more erratic in the 30-to-49-yard field goal depths, averaging an 80.0 percent conversion rate. His abilities should be sufficient for K1 streaming viability. The Chiefs are likely to move the ball effortlessly against a Raiders defense missing its top two cornerbacks.

Shrader was unable to practice at all this week, even in a limited capacity, and starting K Harrison Butker remains on injured reserve. Matthew Wright will kick for the Chiefs this week, and possibly next. Wright kicked for the Chiefs in 2022, going 15-of-15 on point-after attempts but his accuracy dipped on field goals from the 30-to-49-yard range (12-of-15). He did convert 2-of-2 from 50-plus yards though. Wright is a viable streamer for Week 13.

Shrader is now firmly on the wrong side of questionable, having missed both of the Chiefs’ first two practices this week. The Chiefs notably signed K Matthew Wright to the practice squad on Tuesday. Shrader makes for a very risky start, if active.

With Spencer Shrader not practicing due to a hamstring injury, the Chiefs could turn to Wright as their kicker on Black Friday against the Raiders. Wright went 3-for-3 for the 49ers earlier this year and has a career 86.0 percent success rate on field goals in five seasons.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first on the scene, reporting that Butker is expected to miss 3-4 weeks due to a meniscus injury in his left knee — which is his non-kicking knee. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that Butker is expected to have surgery to trim his meniscus, which is why the team went ahead and placed him on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Chiefs have already signed kicker Spencer Shrader off the Jets practice squad. Shrader is a rookie who went undrafted out of Notre Dame earlier this year. During his five years of college, he converted on 43-of-62 field goals while making 98.7 percent of his extra point attempts. He’ll now be tasked with replacing one of the most reliable kickers in the league.