Coming out of their mini-bye, the New England Patriots have decided to part ways with one of their longest-tenured players. Bryce Baringer, who had been with the organization since his arrival as a sixth-round draft pick in 2023, has been released off the team’s injured reserve list.
Let’s assess what the move means for the Patriots from a big-picture perspective.
Official changing of the guard
Since arriving in New England, Baringer survived two head coaching changes and appeared in all 55 possible regular season and playoff games.
He did have the occasional ups and downs, but on the whole was generally reliable in his capacity as a punter and holder.
That said, his long-term outlook entering the final year of his rookie contract was in question; despite being a solid player, he hadn’t yet proven himself worthy of an extension or staying put beyond 2026. Apparently, the Patriots agreed with this assessment, and the injury he suffered in preseason in combination with Mitch Wishnowsky doing a decent job as a replacement, sealed his fate.
The punter baton is therefore now officially being handed from Baringer to Wishnowsky. At least for the remainder of the 2026 season, the 34-year-old will be holding down the fort.
So far, he has done so on 22 punts that he sent an average of 47.1 yards with a net of 41.2. He also tried one onside kick last week against Chicago, but that was recovered by the Bears.
That said, at age 34 it would not be a surprise if Wishnowsky also was not a long-term option and the Patriots decided to bring in competition and a possible successor during next year’s draft.
New(ish)-look operation
As noted above, Baringer also served as the Patriots’ holder on field goals and extra points. As such, he played an integral role in the kicking game operation particularly when working with two rookies — kicker Andy Borregales and long snapper Julian Ashby — last season.
“You look at the operation on the field goal, being able to calm everything down, be able to handle the snap and just the good placement, ball placement for Andy,” Vrabel said in 2025. “Bryce really kind of helps out in all regards in special teams, and he’s done a nice job, whether that’s helping on kickoff return or kickoff or just helping at practice.”
That element of his presence on the roster is now gone, and like the rest of his contributions replaced by Wishnowsky. Of course, Borregales and Ashby being second-year players with some experience under their belts now helps with that transition as well.
IR-return candidate gone
NFL teams have the ability to return up to eight players from injured reserve during the regular season. The Patriots have so far used the designation two times, on offensive tackle Marcus Bryant and wide receiver A.J. Brown. This left them with six available spots for players to come back from IR, but too many candidates to realistically get brought back onto the 53-man team.
With Baringer out of the equation, the final six spots will come down to fullback Reggie Gilliam, wide receivers Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs, offensive linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker, Greg Van Roten and, to a less-realistic degree, Mike Onwenu, linebackers Quintayvious Hutchins and Khalil Jacobs, and safety Dell Pettus.
Belichick ties keep disappearing
Baringer joined the Patriots as part of the final draft class under long-time head coach/de facto general manager Bill Belichick. With him now gone, so is another tie to the Belichick regime.
As a consequence, only 10 players brought in before 2024 remain with the team (year of arrival in parentheses):
- RB Rhamondre Stevenson (2021)
- WR DeMario Douglas (2023)
- TE Hunter Henry (2021)
- RG Mike Onwenu (2020)
- DT Christian Barmore (2021)
- DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (2022)
- LB Christian Elliss (2023)
- CB Christian Gonzalez (2023)
- CB Marcus Jones (2022)
- S Brenden Schooler (2022)
What this list of names shows is that the group may be lacking in quantity but not quality: it includes some of the Patriots’ best and most important players.
