Special Teams: 2021 Position Preview

Who’s In Eddy Pineiro (signed as free agent) The 25-year-old Pineiro spent all of 2020 on injured reserve with the Bears, but in 2019 he connected on 23 of 28 field goals and made 27 of 29 extra points in Chicago. His longest made field goal in 2019 was a 53-yard game-winning blast as time expired against the Denver Broncos. Who’s Back Luke Rhodes (sixth year) Rigoberto Sanchez (fifth year) Rodrigo Blankenship (second year) "Hot Rod" Blankenship set a Colts record for rookie scoring in 2020 in making 32 of 37 field goals (86.5 percent) and 43 of 45 extra points. Sanchez averaged a career best 46.2 yards per punt in 2020, all while missing two games in December to remove a cancerous tumor. Rhodes has played in all 64 of the Colts' regular season games (and all three playoff games) since 2017. What To Watch For The competition between Blankenship and Pineiro will not be exactly like 2020's wide-open battle between Blankenship and Chase McLaughlin, coach Frank Reich said in May. But there will be competition to follow over the next few weeks. "It’s open competition but Hot Rod, he’s the incumbent," Reich said. "Everything has to be earned. Hot Rod had a good season for us last year, so that’s obviously taken into consideration. He’ll have to earn it again this year, but it is open competition."Training Camp Information The Colts will return to Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield for training camp in 2021. Click here for a full schedule of practices open to fans. Free tickets will be required to attend, which can be obtained here. For more information on Colts 2021 Training Camp Powered By Kerauno, click here. Statistically Speaking Not only did Blankenship set the Colts' rookie record for points scored in 2020, his season ranks fourth in franchise history for points scored: Mike Vanderjagt (2003, 157 points) Mike Vanderjagt (1999, 145 points) Adam Vinatieri (2014, 140 points) Rodrigo Blankenship (2020, 139 points) Adam Vinatieri (2013, 139 points)Links To The Past Catch up on stories from earlier this year about the specialists on Colts.com: Colts Add Competition In Signing Eddy Pineiro Rigoberto Sanchez Named Colts 2020 Ed Block Courage Award WinnerThey Said It "(Blankenship)’s done a very good job, he’s been very professional, he works very, very hard. He’s consistent. He hits a clean ball. There isn’t a lot of variation in his mechanics. He’s really done a good job with that and improving day in and day out. I would say with any rookie that he has definitely – I would think he has exceeded anybody’s expectations because for a rookie to hit that high of a percentage in their first year is a testament to him for his hard work and what he has done." - Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone

Special Teams: 2021 Position Preview

The Colts brought in former Chicago Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro to push Rodrigo Blankenship, who's coming off a record-breaking rookie season in Indianapolis. Here's everything you need to know about the Colts' specialists heading into training camp.

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