The New England Patriots have reportedly released punter Bryce Baringer, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz on Monday.
Baringer, who was drafted by the team in the sixth round back in 2023, had served as the Patriots' starting punter and was playing in the final year of his rookie contract. He was placed on injured reserve before the start of the season, and per Schultz, the veteran punter is fully healthy.
During his run in New England, Baringer was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team in 2023, and he set the single-season franchise record for gross punting average with 49.8 yards in 2024.
Unfortunately for Baringer, while he was on IR, Mitch Wishnowsky played himself into a permanent job as the Patriots' new starting punter. The veteran has been solid through the first seven games of the season. He played well enough to make people wonder if the Patriots would be willing to cut Baringer and continue to go with the hot punter.
And they have clearly made their decision.
Keep in mind that the Patriots have a limited number of injured reserve spots remaining, which likely influenced their decision-making as well.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots reportedly cut one of Bill Belichick's final draft picks