Vinatieri reaches agreement with Colts

Adam Vinatieri and the Indianapolis Colts have agreed in principle to a multiyear contract and are working out the final details of a deal that will make him the highest-paid kicker in National Football League history, sources close to the negotiations told the Globe Tuesday night.

Colts president Bill Polian negotiated the deal with Vinatieri's new agent, Gary Uberstine, after the kicker fired his representative, Jonathan Hurst of the Cleveland-based Neil Cornrich firm, after slow going in the free agent market.

Vinatieri, who is entering his 11th season and has played with the Patriots his entire career, met with the Green Bay Packers last week, his only other free agent visit.

Vinatieri, who earned $2.5 million as the Patriots' franchise player last season, spurned an offer to re-sign with New England before the free agency period began.

The Colts play indoors at the RCA Dome, and Vinatieri has made 37 of 41 career field goals indoors. His only misses have come in Reliant Stadium in Houston, all in the 2003 season (3 of 5 vs. Houston and 1 of 3 vs. Carolina in Super Bowl XXXVIII). He is a perfect 10 for 10 in Indianapolis.

The Patriots will be auditioning kickers over the next few weeks.