The Indianapolis Colts and pending free agent punter Rigoberto Sanchez agreed to terms on a new contract, per multiple reports Tuesday.
Sanchez returned to form late in the 2023 season after working his way back from an Achilles tear that claimed his 2022 campaign. Now, the Colts can move forward with their specialist unit intact.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network was the first to report the news.
The #Colts are finalizing a deal with P Rigoberto Sanchez to return to Indy, sources say. Should be officially agreed to shortly for Sanchez to return for season No. 7 and beyond in Indy. pic.twitter.com/KwvpFwLhiL
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 12, 2024
Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reported it will be a three-year deal for the punter.
It's a three-year deal for Sanchez. https://t.co/VDkBwbruOD
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) March 12, 2024
Sanchez has been pretty reliable since entering the league in 2017. The former undrafted free agent out of Hawaii also handled kickoff duties before the Colts signed Matt Gay last offseason.
Despite coming back from a torn Achilles in 2023, Sanchez posted a career-high 42.8 net yards per return on 68 punts. Remarkably, none of his punts resulted in a touchback while 21 of them landed inside the 20-yard line.
It may not seem like a vital signing, but Sanchez gives the Colts a reliable weapon as a punter, and he should be even more effective now that he’s further removed from the Achilles injury.
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