The New England Patriots just dropped their initial practice squad, bringing in a dozen players to fill out their developmental roster. But the biggest immediate takeaway? Punter Bryce Baringer, who was having a strong camp, is officially on injured reserve and will miss at least the first four weeks of the season with an undisclosed lower body injury he picked up in the second preseason game. Talk about a gut punch to start the year.
The Roster Dance Continues: Who’s In, Who’s Next?
Seriously, the Patriots aren’t messing around trying to solidify their depth. They signed 12 guys to the practice squad, and get this, 11 of them were already with the team through training camp this past summer. That’s some serious continuity, right? The initial list features S Mike Brown, WR Kyle Dixon, WR Cameron Dorner, DT Eric Gregory, RB Hassan Haskins, RB Lan Larison, T Lorenz Metz, DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr., OL Jacob Rizy, CB Kindle Vildor, LB Riley Wilson, and the man of the hour, P Mitch Wishnowsky. Interestingly, Lorenz Metz, an International Pathway Player, doesn’t even count against the 16-man limit. This means the Pats still have five open spots on the practice squad and two on the 53-man roster. You know what that means: more moves are coming. And keep an eye on vested veterans Ben Brown and K.J. Britt, who were released Monday from the 53-man roster. They’re absolutely candidates to fill two of those remaining spots.
Wishnowsky Steps Up As Punting Plans Shift
So with Baringer sidelined for a month at minimum, the Patriots wasted no time bringing in a seasoned leg: Mitch Wishnowsky. He’s the only player on this initial practice squad who wasn’t with the team this past summer, which tells you exactly how sudden and important this signing is. Wishnowsky isn’t some rookie; he spent six years with the 49ers and even punted in 13 games for the Bills last season. The dude’s got experience, and the Pats are gonna need it immediately. This move is all about damage control after losing a promising player like Baringer early.
O-Line Gets Some Much-Needed Reinforcements
It’s been a rough offseason for the backup offensive line, no doubt. They got hit hard with the injury bug. Marcus Bryant is kicking off the year on injured reserve, and Ben Brown was also sidelined at one point. That’s why keeping guys like offensive tackle Lorenz Metz and center Jacob Rizy on the practice squad is such a smart move for additional depth. Rizy actually stepped up this summer, filling in as the second-team center for Brown, and Metz has been around since last January. He’s a big dude too, clocking in at 6-foot-9. And get this, the Patriots are still looking to stack the front even more, with Ben Brown’s expected return and the reported signing of Jake Kubas from the New York Giants. That’s a lot of focus on protecting the pocket! They’ve also been dealing with receiver issues, with John Jiles released and Jeremiah Webb on injured reserve earlier this offseason.
The Patriots clearly aren’t done shaping this roster. With those open spots and veterans like Ben Brown potentially returning, the next few days are going to be super interesting as they fine-tune everything for the regular season kickoff.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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