The drop-off for Jake Bailey has been steep.
Back in August, the New England Patriots made him one of the three highest-paid punters in the league, and now, they’re reportedly mulling over possible options to replace him.
It hasn’t been good this season, and opposing teams have benefitted from the great field position that has come from Bailey’s struggles. Combine that with the ongoing offensive issues and it has felt like death by a thousand papercuts for the Patriots.
But change could be coming sooner rather than later. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots are expected to bring in a “handful of free agent punters” in an effort to improve at the position.
With Jake Bailey struggling, the Patriots are expected to host a handful of free-agent punters this week as they assess their options.
One possible scenario is to add a punter to the 16-man practice squad for in-house depth and game-day elevation possibility.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 27, 2022
The mere thought of being replaced could be enough to light a fire under Bailey to play better, or it could lead to him being edged out as a starter if a better option emerges from the group of possible newcomers.
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