The Patriots punter competition is over. According to the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price, the Patriots released veteran punter Corliss Waitman on Monday afternoon. The move confirms the team is moving forward with 2023 sixth-round draft pick Bryce Baringer.
Waitman, 28, joined the Patriots in March after former Patriots punter Jake Bailey signed with the Dolphins. Waitman played college football at Southern Alabama before signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent.
Along with the Steelers, Waitman previously spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos. Most recently, Waitman was a starter for the Broncos, appearing in all 17 games last season. Last year, he led the league with 96 punts, averaging 46.6 yards a kick. The left-footed punter has appeared in 19 games, totaling 103 punts for 4,835 yards and a 46.9 average.
Baringer, 24, was a former sixth-round pick and was the first punter drafted out of the 2023 NFL draft. The Michigan State punter averaged 51.5 yards on 11 punts during the preseason. Baringer was a two-year starter for Michigan State, appearing in 36 games while recording 161 punts, averaging 46.0 yards a kick.
The Patriots were the first team in the NFL to draft both a kicker and a punter in the same NFL draft since the Oakland Raiders selected Sebastian Janokowski and Shane Lechler in the 2000 draft. New England drafted Maryland kicker Chad Ryland, but it is still unclear if the rookie has won the kicking battle against veteran Nick Folk.
The Patriots must finalize their 53-man roster by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. The Patriot’s current roster sits at 77 players.
Click here for The Patriots Beat 2023 NFL roster cuts tracker. The tracker will be updated with news, rumors, releases, trades, and instant analysis concerning the New England Patriots.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
