The New England Patriots just wrapped minicamp, and here’s the wild part: they brought in two other punters for tryouts during rookie and mandatory minicamp this offseason. But guess what? Neither of those guys got signed. Instead, the team is rolling into training camp with full confidence in Bryce Baringer, the 27-year-old entering his fourth year. That’s a massive statement when you think about it.
The Big Leg, The Big Problem
Baringer’s last season was a rollercoaster. He punted a career-low 51 times in the regular season, which you’d think is a good thing for an offense moving the ball, but then he got super busy in the playoffs. He absolutely still has that monster leg, though, eclipsing the 70-yard mark again for his longest punt, and he even hit a career-best 4.41-second average hang time. Those are serious numbers, right? The issue? Occasional absolute mishits, like that brutal 22-yard punt in Week 13 against the Giants. You just can’t have those.
That’s why Baringer’s whole offseason was laser-focused on one thing. “I want to be more consistent,” he said, plain and simple. “No. 2, big emphasis was hang time and distance. Kind of having that relationship. Just knowing what I’m capable of doing, trusting myself, my process.” He knows his coaches Mike Vrabel, Jeremy Springer, and Tom Quinn, see what he’s capable of. It’s all about going out there and *doing* it, trusting himself completely. He’s even made some slight tweaks to his mechanics, but the real game-changer might be his mental approach. He’s working on looking at things “more holistically.” Instead of getting stuck on a bad punt, he’s flipping it to, “Okay, what did I do wrong there? And how can I not do it again?” Coach Vrabel has preached not letting a rut bleed into further reps, and Baringer is clearly taking that to heart. It’s a huge shift, and if it clicks, it changes everything for their special teams.
Vrabel’s Confidence and A Specialists Standard
This is Baringer’s final year on his rookie deal, and the team hasn’t brought in any direct competition to push him. That alone tells you what Vrabel thinks. The head coach isn’t just praising his punting, either. He’s talking up Baringer’s work as a holder for kicker Andy Borregales, calling him a “calming piece” that does a nice job. Vrabel laid it out: “Really, we want our punters to be great holders and excellent at plus-50 punts. If we punt, we want them to be plus-50. That means we are moving the football and giving me a decision whether we are going to go for it on fourth down or we are going to punt.” When these guys do their job, you never hear about them, and that’s the goal.
Through the early days of training camp, Baringer looks like he’s striking the ball well, which is exactly what we want to hear. And Borregales? He’s been nearly perfect, nailing 28-of-30 field goal attempts. With Baringer, Borregales, and second-year long snapper Julian Ashby, these specialists are setting a seriously high standard. It’s a big year for Baringer to show that consistency is here to stay and solidify his future with the squad. The team is trusting him, and now it’s his turn to deliver every single kick.
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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