CaptainHook Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 In April, the Colts drafted Dave Rayner to provide a lift on the team’s kickoffs. On Tuesday, he became the first 2005 Indianapolis draft choice to sign. Rayner, a kicker and a sixth-round draft choice from Michigan State University, signed with the Colts Tuesday, one of five players to do so. The Colts also signed four free agents: wide receiver Roscoe Crosby, running back Vashon Pearson, offensive tackle David Porter and defensive end Sean Guthrie. Rayner (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) played four seasons at Michigan State, making 62 of 90 field goals and 148 of 151 extra points. He made 22 of 31 field goals as a senior and made all 39 extra-point attempts. Fifty-three percent of his kickoff attempts were touchbacks. On draft day in April, Colts President Bill Polian said Rayner was signed to address the team’s kickoff situation. “We’re going to carry a kickoff man,” Polian said at the time. “We have no conversation about that. That’s the way it’s going to be. We feel he’s capable of doing that. He has, we felt, the biggest leg next to (Ohio State kicker) Mike Nugent in the entire draft. “Will he grow into a really good field goal kicker in time? He has that potential. Right now, what’s missing is consistency on the field goal front, but he certainly can kick the ball off well enough to make our team and be a weapon for us.” Porter (6-6, 319), who played at Iowa, and Guthrie (6-4, 270) – who played at Boston College – each played in NFL Europe this past spring. Crosby (6-2, 210) played at Clemson and Pearson (5-10, 205) played at Mississippi. The Colts also waived wide receiver Kerry Wright, wide receiver Davon Fowlkes and linebacker Jarrell Weaver. The Colts report to training camp at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute on Wednesday, July 27. All players on the roster are scheduled to report on that date. link This is Vandy's last year as a Colt, I bet. He is in the final year of his contract. The Colts drafted a kicker in last year's draft as well, David Kimball of Penn State. He pretty much sucked at kicking off in the pre-season. He was released in the first round of cuts. So the Colts drafted Rayner in this year's draft. If he sticks on the roster, and judging by Polian's comments he will, he might be Vandy's replacement next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTen Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 (edited) Rayner is a great kicker, and even better, he is a SPARTAN Edited July 20, 2005 by BigTen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 This is Vandy's last year as a Colt, I bet. He is in the final year of his contract. The Colts drafted a kicker in last year's draft as well, David Kimball of Penn State. He pretty much sucked at kicking off in the pre-season. He was released in the first round of cuts. So the Colts drafted Rayner in this year's draft. If he sticks on the roster, and judging by Polian's comments he will, he might be Vandy's replacement next year. 886303[/snapback] I hope it's his last year. He's a hell of a kicker, but his mouth brings a ton of bad press and bad karma to the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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