Patriots Rumors: 3 options at punter after releasing Jake Bailey
By Zachary McMahon
New England Patriots released punter Jake Bailey on Friday Afternoon after an injury plagued season and a controversial suspension for the last two games of the season.
With the release of Bailey, the Patriots are now going to have a question of who’s going to be their punter in 2023.
We have three potential options that the Patriots could take this offseason and maybe into the preseason.
Option 1: Patriots could stick with Michael Palardy
Michael Palardy was the punter for the rest of the season for the Patriots when Bailey was on Injured reserve.
Palardy struggled in his eight games last season with a gross net gain of 42.4 yards (33rd in the NFL) and a net of 36.4 yards (34th).
Palardy also had a punt blocked in the loss against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 that gave the Raiders a touchdown in the 1st half, although that was better than Bailey in a full season because he had three punts blocked in 2021.
Palardy also had struggles as a holder, and the change last season hurt kicker Nick Folk. Folk just made 80 percent of his field goals while Palardy was holder, while making 95 percent of field goals while Bailey was holder.
I think this is less likely to happen, because I think the Patriots will look for a better punting option than Palardy, but he’ll be an option to fall back on if anybody else in free agency or the draft does not work out.
Option 2: Patriots could pick up a veteran punter in free agency
One punter that would be a viable option is Cardinals Punter Andy Lee, who is an unrestricted free agent.
Lee has been in the league for 19 seasons after being drafted in the 6th round (188th pick) by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Last season for the Cardinals, his average yards of the season were above his career average of 46.7 yards. He punted an average of 47.1 yards per punt and for a total of 3,157 yards, which is the most since the 2018 season where he lead the league in yards with 4,568.
However, Lee is 41 years old, and he would not be the long-term solution at punter, so if the Patriots wanted to go to somebody younger then I would recommend Giants punter Jaime Gillan or the “Scottish Hammer.”
Gillan is going to be 26 years old in 2023, and he would be a longer-term option at Punter.
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Gillan has been in the league since 2019 when he took over the Browns punting over veteran Britton Colquitt.
Last season with the Giants, Gillan had a career high of 48.6 yards per punt average and a total of 3,463 yards and a net average of 40.6 yards.
Either way, the Patriots would be in better hands with these punters rather than Palardy for 2023.
Option 3: Patriots could draft Bryan Baringer
If the Patriots are going to draft a punter, then they have to draft Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer.
Baringer had the biggest leg in all of college football last season as he lead the nation in gross and net yardage.
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Baringer has an ability to have big 50+ yard punts and have a hangtime for 5 seconds or longer. Baringer earned 1st team All-America honors this season and had a strong performance at the Reese’s Senior Bowl and is likely to be the first punter drafted this time around.
Patriots have to improve at punter, and these options would help them during the 2023 season.