Arizona waived Blankenship (undisclosed) with an injury settlement Wednesday.
Analysis: Blankenship filled in for Matt Prater during Week 7 and made both of his field-goal attempts, including a 50-yarder, but he missed one of his three extra-point tries. Prater returned in Week 8 but wasn't cleared for kickoff duties, so Blankenship handled that role. However, Blankenship appears to have suffered an injury of his own during the contest and was waived with an injury settlement Wednesday. Once healthy, Blankenship will be allowed to sign with a new team.
Nov 2, 2022 11:57 AM EST
Blankenship recorded six kickoffs, all touchbacks, during Sunday's 34-26 loss in Minnesota.
Analysis: Blankenship filled in for the Cardinals' regular kicker Matt Prater in the final of his three absences due to a right hip injury. While Prater was cleared to log field-goal attempts and point-after tries Sunday -- he made two FGAs and PATs apiece in his return -- Blankenship, who was inked to the active roster last Wednesday, handled kickoff duties Week 8. Such a breakdown of placekicking tasks may be the team's reality until Prater is back to full health.
Oct 31, 2022 9:35 PM EST
Both Blankenship and Matt Prater (right hip) are active Sunday in Minnesota, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Analysis: With Prater back for the first time since Week 4, he's a safe bet to log field-goal attempts and point-after tries, at the very least. But Arizona signed Blankenship to the active roster this week to serve as an emergency option at placekicker for the Cardinals, and coach Kliff Kingsbury said he'd handle kickoffs while Prater gets the scoring opportunities. As a result, Blankenship isn't a certainty to contribute on the fantasy front.
Oct 30, 2022 8:55 AM EST
Arizona signed Blankenship to the active roster from the practice squad Wednesday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Blankenship made two field goals in his debut for the Cardinals last week, with one coming from 50 yards out, and he went 2-for-3 on extra-point tries. His move to the active roster could signal that Matt Prater (hip) is trending in the wrong direction for Sunday's game against the Vikings.
Oct 27, 2022 5:43 AM EST
Blankenship reverted back to Arizona's practice squad Friday.
Analysis: Blankenship was elevated to the active roster prior to Thursday's win over the Saints, and he connected on both his field-goal attempts while going 2-for-3 on extra-point tries. However, his status with the Cardinals is dependent on the status of Matt Prater, who has missed three straight games due to a hip injury. Prater could return to the field as soon as next Sunday versus Minnesota.
Oct 21, 2022 6:49 PM EST
Blankenship will serve as the Cardinals' placekicker Thursday versus the Saints with Matt Prater (hip) sidelined, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: With Prater out for a third consecutive contest, Blankenship will be the second kicker to stand in for him after Matt Ammendola handled those duties Weeks 5-6. In parts of three seasons with the Colts, Blankenship made 45 of 53 field-goal attempts and 52 of 55 point-after tries, which amounted to 8.5 points per game in his 22 appearances.
Oct 20, 2022 4:03 PM EST
The Cardinals elevated Blankenship from their practice squad Thursday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: With the team's starting kicker in Matt Prater having missed the past two games due to a hip injury, this opens the door for Blankenship to serve as Arizona's top kicker for Thursday's matchup against the Saints should Prater eventually be ruled inactive for a third consecutive contest.
Oct 20, 2022 2:12 PM EST
Blankenship signed with the Cardinals' practice squad Tuesday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Blankenship had a rocky season debut with the Colts in Week 1, missing a potential game-winning kick in overtime, while also sending two kickoffs out of bounds for penalties, which lead to him getting cut. However, with Matt Ammendola being let go Monday and Matt Prater (hip) still questionable for Thursday's content with the Saints, Blankenship could get a chance at redemption.
Oct 18, 2022 11:50 AM EST
The Colts waived Blankenship on Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Blankenship's missed 42-yard field-goal attempt in overtime Week 1 against the Texans already cost the Colts a win and forced the team to settle for a 20-20 tie, and now the missed kick will cost him his job. The Colts' decision to move on from Blankenship comes after he followed up a strong 2020 rookie season by converting 11 of 14 field-goal tries (78.6 percent) and seven of eight extra-point attempts (87.5 percent) in 2021 while playing in only five games due to a hip injury. He returned healthy for training camp but was still forced to fight for the Colts' kicking role, narrowly beating out Jake Verity for the gig. According to Pelissero, the Colts auditioned a number of kickers in a group workout Tuesday and will likely sign one or two the practice squad before deciding on a replacement for Blankenship ahead of Sunday's game in Jacksonville.
Sep 13, 2022 11:54 AM EST
Blankenship made two of three field-goal attempts and both of his extra-point tries during Sunday's 20-20 tie with the Texans.
Analysis: Blankenship opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal in the first quarter and added a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter, but he missed a 42-yard attempt wide right in overtime, which would've won the game for the Colts. After a strong rookie season, Blankenship appeared in just five games last year due to injuries, and despite the missed game-winner, he'll look to reclaim the consistency that made him a reliable kicker in 2020.
Sep 12, 2022 9:51 AM EST
Blankenship has won the Colts' kicking battle with the team releasing Jake Verity on Thursday, Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis reports.
Analysis: Blankenship entered as the favorite and reportedly outkicked Verity at training camp, even showing improved ability on tries from 50-plus yards. While he has one of the weaker legs among NFL starting placekickers, Blankenship could be useful in fantasy leagues this year, playing for a dome team that many project to win a weak AFC South.
Aug 25, 2022 6:17 AM EST
Colts head coach Frank Reich said Monday that Blankenship is the favorite to win the starting job over Jake Verity, Kevin Hickey of USA Today reports.
Analysis: Blankenship operated as the Colts' place kicker to start 2021, but he played just five games before being placed on IR with a hip injury, which ultimately ended his season. Michael Badgley replaced Blankenship last year, but he remains a free agent as Indianapolis signed Verity to provide competition to Blankenship during the offseason. Now healthy, Blankenship is poised to reclaim his starting gig. Across 21 career games, he's converted 43 of 51 field-goal attempts, with six of his eight misses coming from 40-plus yards.
Jun 20, 2022 12:03 PM EST
Blankenship is expected to compete with fellow Jake Verity for the Colts' starting kicker job this offseason, Kevin Hickey of USA Today reports.
Analysis: Blankenship has held Indianapolis' starting kicker duties over the past two seasons when healthy, but played just five games in 2021 before being placed on injured reserve with a season-ending hip injury in November. The third-year kicker made 11 of the 14 field goals he attempted and missed one extra point attempt in 2021. Blankenship was relatively consistent in his rookie season with the Colts, nailing 32 of his 37 field goal attempts, and is still the favorite to retain the starting placekicker role over 2020 undrafted free agent Verity.
Jun 1, 2022 3:07 PM EST
Blankenship (hip) reportedly lost the Colts' kicking job to Michael Badgley for now, and he will stay on the injured reserve so he can continue to regain strength in his hip, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Blankenship is expected to stay on the Colts' injured reserve for the foreseeable future as coach Frank Reich shared how Michael Badgley is Indianapolis' kicker for now. It's possible Blankenship returns if Badgley starts to struggle to kick the football.
Nov 17, 2021 6:56 PM EST
Blankenship (hip) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
Analysis: Blankenship had already been ruled out for Sunday's Week 6 matchup due to a hip injury that he sustained last week, but he'll be forced to miss at least three games. Michael Badgley was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's game against the Texans.
Oct 16, 2021 10:37 AM EST
Blankenship (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Texans.
Analysis: With Blankenship unavailable this weekend, fellow kicker Michael Badgley is slated to be promoted from the Colts' practice squad to the team's active roster in advance of Sunday's contest.
Oct 15, 2021 11:00 AM EST
Blankenship (hip) was unavailable for Thursday's practice.
Analysis: The kicker was a non-participant at practice for the second consecutive day after he suffered a hip injury Monday night against the Ravens. Indianapolis signed kicker Michael Badgley on Wednesday in case Blankenship cannot go Sunday versus the Texans.
Oct 14, 2021 2:43 PM EST
Blankenship (hip) was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice.
Analysis: It's not surprising Blankenship didn't practice Wednesday, as coach Frank Reich said the kicker underwent an MRI on Tuesday after dealing with the hip injury Week 5. The Colts tried out some kickers and signed Michael Badgley to the practice squad, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 News Indianapolis, so the team already has already secured its backup option should Blankenship be forced to miss any time.
Oct 13, 2021 3:31 PM EST
Colts head coach Frank Reich said Blankenship (hip) underwent an MRI on Tuesday, leaving the kicker's status uncertain heading into a Week 6 matchup with the Texans, Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reports. "I'll get the results [of the MRI], and then we'll talk through with [general manager Chris Ballard] what we need to do, whether we need to bring in another kicker, how extensive is the injury."
Analysis: The Colts already seem to be bracing for Blankenship not being available for Sunday's game, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network relaying Wednesday that the team worked out Brett Maher and Michael Badgley, among other kickers. Blankenship was clearly limited by the injury in the Colts' Week 5 loss to the Ravens on Monday, telling Stephen Holder of The Athletic that he felt "stabbing pain" in his right hip prior to the contest. Though he proceeded to play through the pain, he missed one of two extra-point attempts, had a 37-yard field-goal attempt blocked and misfired on another try from 47 yards that would have won the game.
Oct 13, 2021 8:28 AM EST
Coach Frank Reich said Tuesday that he's uncertain about the severity of Blankenship's hip injury, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star reports.
Analysis: Reich confirmed that Blankenship has undergone an MRI, and he addressed the possibility of Indianapolis bringing in another kicker. Still, for the time being, it remains unclear whether Blankenship will be forced to miss time. The Colts take on the Texans this weekend.
Oct 13, 2021 8:20 AM EST
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