Legendary kicker Adam Vinatieri still wants to play every game for the Indianapolis Colts this season. However, he may miss his first game in a good while as he was in limited practice on Wednesday.
The 46-year-old kicker from South Dakota State has been working as one of the most productive kickers the league has seen for decades. Moreover, he has been the epitome of health for the Colts as he's played for all but one regular-season game so far over the past couple of years.
However, NFL.com's Kevin Patra detailed the reasons that would explain why Vinatieri might not make their coming game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Vinatieri was limited at practice with a knee injury and after practice got an MRI on his knee and his status for Sunday is in doubt, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday night. On Thursday, Vinatieri is set to meet with team doctors. As potential insurance, the Colts claimed kicker Chase McLaughlin off waivers from the 49ers and waived tight end Matt Lengel.
Vinatieri, who spent the first years of his career with the New England Patriots, has had a so-so season so far. His scoring percentage leaves a lot to be desired at 68%. Given how sharp the dip was compared to his outings over the last five years, it may not be surprising to see him get cut by the Colts in the offseason.
If that does happen, there's a good possibility that the Patriots might want to pick him up. The offense has been terrible this year, and Bill Belichick may want someone to be consistent with his kicks. While Vinatieri hasn't been lethal this season, he can definitely provide that consistency with the Pats.
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