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Rodrigo Blankenship seems to have made a good impression on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After a tryout with the team this week, the Bucs will reportedly sign Blankenship to a contract. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported on the news Thursday.
The #Bucs are, in fact, signing Rodrigo Blankenship, source said. https://t.co/d8Ze1Jti0E
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 15, 2023
Blankenship kicked for the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons last season. He had surgery on a torn muscle in his leg back in January. Now, he joins a Bucs roster that also includes 26-year-old former Colt kicker Chase McLaughlin. The 2 will compete for the starting job in training camp.
Blankenship made the Colts as an undrafted rookie in 2020 and connected on 32 of his 37 field goal attempts as a rookie. A season-ending hip injury limited him to 5 games in 2021, where he went 11-for-14 on field goals.
Last season, the Colts cut him days after a season-opening tie with the Houston Texans. In the game, Blankenship missed a field goal in overtime and had 2 kickoffs go out of bounds. McLaughlin took over from there and made 30 of his 36 field goal attempts on the season.
In October 2022, Blankenship was signed to the Cardinals practice squad and then elevated to the main roster. He went 2-for-2 on kicks in a Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints but was waived with an injury settlement on Nov. 2.
Throughout his pro career, the former Lou Groza Award winner has made 48 of his 58 field goals (with a long of 53 yards) and 55 of his 59 extra points.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
