Image courtesy of USA Today

The Patriots have released punter Jake Bailey, seven months after giving him a contract extension.

The news is not surprising given the fact that Bailey was suspended to end the 2022 season after filing a grievance against the team for how they handled his back injury.

After an all-pro season in 2020, Bailey began to decline the past two seasons. So the question now is, where the Patriots go from here?

Well the Michael Palardy experiment did not work so he is not an option to return. They could go the veteran route and sign a free agent. Sam Martin, Brett Kern, Riley Dixon, Andy Lee and J.K Scott are all available.

If Bill Belichick decides to draft a punter, Oklahoma’s Michael Turk is the best punter in the draft. The question is, does Belichick want to use an early day three pick on a punter. Turk should go in the fourth or fifth round.

The Patriots have always been ahead of the curb when it comes to punters. Expect them to do their due diligence as they try to find the right punter who can kick in New England and at Gillette Stadium.