Polian decides Colts need help with kickoffs
indystar.com
There will be a new kicker in town. End of discussion.
For the second straight year, the Indianapolis Colts used one of their draft picks on a kicker. Sunday, they selected Michigan State's Dave Rayner in the sixth round. In 2004, it was Penn State's David Kimball in the seventh round.
Kimball failed to make it out of the preseason. The Colts anticipate better things from Rayner, the second of three kickers drafted over the weekend.
The team's decision to invest another draft pick in a kicker whose primary role will be to handle kickoffs is testament to how it values that aspect of the game. In 2004, five different players kicked off, including veteran place-kicker Mike Vanderjagt. The quintet finished with only four touchbacks.
"We're going to carry a kickoff man, there will be no conversation about that," president Bill Polian said. "That's the way it's going to be."
Vanderjagt didn't bother to hide his displeasure with the team when it brought in Kimball. He couldn't be reached for comment on the Colts' latest kicking acquisition.
"Mike's feelings about this issue are not an issue for me," Polian said.
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