FOXBOROUGH, Mass — Coming off a tough primetime loss to the Chicago Bears, the New England Patriots were ready to get back on track and fix the many mistakes made on Thursday night. With a divisional opponent next in the Miami Dolphins, who are coming off their first win of the season, it's clear they are not a team to be overlooked.
So, here's what I'm hearing at Gillette Stadium:
P Bryce Baringer released
The Patriots have had some very poor injury luck this season, and that included their punter Bryce Baringer, who suffered an injury in the preseason and began the year on injured reserve. A sixth-round pick by the Patriots in 2023, Baringer was on the final year of his rookie deal, but had been a standout special teamer for the team prior to his injury.
But, because of the job done by Mitch Wishnowsky this season, as well as the numerous other players the team has placed on injured reserve, they only had a certain number of spots remaining for players who could return. And unfortunately, Baringer was not on that list. So, on Monday, it was reported that the team released him.
"I certainly appreciate what Bryce has been able to do for us. Those are tough decisions. I don't think those are things that you'd necessarily take lightly," head coach Mike Vrabel said. "But once you kind of get the specialists, the snap or the hold and all the stuff that they do. We just felt like this was best for us, best for Bryce, and to give him an opportunity to go punt and see if somebody needs a punter. If we would need him back and he was there, then we would want to have him back. You just make a decision with a specialist, and as long as it's going well, which I think it is, and everybody else does, you just stick with it."
Mitch Wishnowsky's mindset remains the same
So, with the news of Baringer's release, it means the Patriots are sticking with Mitch Wishnowsky, whom they signed prior to the season opener.
"Mitch, he's punted a lot of games in the National Football League. He's punted, could flip the field," Vrabel said. "I think that he gets it off quickly. I think the plus-50s have improved. He's got different punts and different kicks that he uses, and I think he's been pretty consistent. I think the hang time's been pretty good."
But, despite the roster decision, Wishnowsky said nothing about his mindset changes.
"Nah, I think at least for the past few weeks with the IR situation, I sort of had a good idea of how this, how it was going to go," he told Patriots Wire. "I think with Bryce being released, it's probably bittersweet because he was here for a few years. But I think it's probably like he'll find a spot this year, and he'll be able to punt. I think it's probably best like if he was sitting on IR or so. I think it's probably good for Bryce, and I think Bryce will get picked up and have a great year."
Ben Brown back at practice
When asked if guard Ben Brown could return to practice after suffering a knee injury against the Jets, Vrabel kept his answer short and sweet.
"I think Ben might be out there," the head coach responded.
And for Brown, he's ready to get back to work after dealing with a scare, with the knee he injured being the same one he hurt during the preseason.
"Just focusing on getting better every day," he told Patriots Wire. "Everyone's got their own unique plan. So, just working through that and getting ready to go as soon as I can."
And with all the injuries, they need him more than ever.
"I just want to be able to do whatever I can to help out, however that works," he said. "And availability is of the upmost important, and so trying to be able to contribute as soon as I can."
So is he fully ready to go?
"I mean, just take it day by day," Brown stated.
Mike Vrabel reflects on working with Dolphins QB Malik Willis
During his tenure as head coach of the Titans, Vrabel drafted Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Following his time in Tennessee, Willis spent time with the Green Bay Packers before signing with Miami this offseason.
"It was great. Malik's continued to develop, and that's the thing that I'm proud of him for, and I know that he should be proud of himself to continue to battle and go to Green Bay," Vrabel said of Willis. "I try to stay in communication with him, tell him congrats and that I'm happy for him, and then he gets a deal in Miami. He's very talented. He's got a strong arm, can throw at different platforms. He's a strong runner. I think he's starting to see things a little quicker, a little clearer, just as he's developed in the NFL."
Could Greg Van Roten return this week?
With all the injuries on the offensive line, the Patriots could elect to have a veteran guard return to practice this week. Greg Van Roten, who was injured in the team's blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is eligible to return from injured reserve this week, and on Monday, Vrabel was asked about the possibility.
"We probably won't see him today, but maybe this week," he replied. "We'll see where that goes. Those guys, I think him and Dell [Pettus] are eligible, potentially, to try to get back out there and see where that goes. But we'll have to make a decision with Marcus Bryant, so we'll probably give us through today here. See where guys progress and go from there."
Given the multitude of injuries the team has faced this season, along with only having a few designated sports for players to return from injured reserve, Vrabel and the coaching staff will have to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks.
"Probably just the depth that you have at the position or the need. I don't think it's something that you really want to make a habit of, but we're in the position that we are," he said. "So, figuring out who's healthy enough to return. Some guys aren't. Then we'll see where we go with the depth at each position."
Mike Vrabel comments on $250,000 fine
During his Monday morning press conference, Vrabel was asked about the report that he had been handed a $250,000 fine due to his conduct toward game officials.
"I don't have any comment," he said. "Those things are supposed to be held in strict confidence, so I'm not going to comment."
In the initial report, it was said that there was a chance the fine could be rescinded if he maintained good behavior. So, was that what was told to him?
"Again, I can’t comment. I think it's best just to talk to the league. They seem to have plenty to say already about it," Vrabel expressed. "I would say this about the officiating, and I've said this numerous times: the second hardest thing to do on Sundays is officiate. They do a great job, and it's not easy. We have to understand they're part of the game, and I think that they do, like everybody else, the best that they possibly can. There's going to be bad calls by coaches, there's going to be bad plays by players, and then once in a while, an official's going to miss one. Again, how we respond to those things is critical.
"So, I enjoy when they have conversations with me and can explain exactly what it is that they saw or they follow up with another official, and as long as I get an explanation about what they saw, then I have to be okay with that. I would say for the most part I am. I like the ones that are willing to communicate and say, 'Hey, this is what I saw,' they do it, they're decisive about it and they're confident. We can always go back and second guess, but it's not an easy job and I think they do really well."
Is Alijah Vera-Tucker's injury long-term
The Patriots placed Alijah Vera-Tucker on injured reserve, meaning that he will have to be out a minimum of four games. But, does New England anticipate this being a long-term and potentially season-ending injury?
"I don't think it's for the season, but I couldn't tell you what short-term is determined by, however many weeks he has to be out," Vrabel said. "It wasn't going to be this week, so we figured it was going to be at least four games, so that's why we made the decision that we made."
With Vera-Tucker now out, it will be Brown or Walter Rouse filling in on the left side as of now. But, it seems the Patriots might have found a long-term answer at right guard after having lost Mike Onwenu to a season-ending ankle injury.
"Matt (Pryor's) done a nice job. Matt's come in, he's protected well. I think that he's still getting comfortable, but he's big in there," he said. "He's tough to get around. He's got heavy hands, and he gives us a chance most of the time. I really like his attitude, the way that he's come in and just tried to learn everything pretty quickly. We're talking about guys that have been here from April on, and he's been here for three weeks and tried to be ready to go."
"Again, he studies hard, he works, he comes in early, he stays late." Vrabel added. "It means a lot to him, and he tries to take advantage of his opportunities."
Other notes
- Vrabel on A.J. Brown's performance: "We know it takes all 11. A receiver's job is critical to be able to protect the guy who has the ball and how well they play without the ball. So, I would say offensively, we have to do a better job, and that includes A.J. That includes the quarterback coming out with play fakes. That's what it takes in the run game."
- Ben Brown on Matt Pryor and Walter Rouse: "It's been great. They've done a great job. It's been fun watching them compete and everything, and I think they've played some really good football."
- Vrabel on whether the Patriots will be active at the trade deadline: "We're going to try to do everything we can to help the team. I don't know if we will or we won't. I would imagine that we'll try to do everything that we can to help us, within reason, and makes sense for us. I don't know how you want to interpret that, but I'm sure we'll listen and talk, just like everybody else does."
- Vrabel on the run game in the loss to Chicago: "Like about everything else we do, sometimes it looks okay and sometimes it's not good enough. It's inconsistent. But we've had some good runs. We took the ball against the Jets and went five minutes, and those runs looked pretty good. There are other times where I don't think it looks very good at all. So, I'd say like a lot of things that we've done up until this point that it's been okay and then not consistent enough."
- Vrabel on Christian Barmore's injury in Week 7: "I think he was just tired. No, I think he'll be fine."
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: What I’m hearing at Gillette Stadium: Monday buzz (Week 8)