Patriots 2026 ST Preview: Same 'Old' Trio From Last Year

Historically, the New England Patriots have prided themselves in having strong special teams. From the field goal operation, to returning kicks and punts, the team has always seemed to have a productive group when needed.

That is the case once again entering 2026, as the current group of specialists are a strong part of this Patriots team. Under coordinator Jeremy Springer, the Patriots have plenty of talent to help them win games.

It may not knock the socks off of people across the league, and they certainly don't boast the biggest names at each position. But they have a group that is building chemistry with each other entering what's now a title defense season.

As we head through the late spring/early summer practice portion of the year, we'll be taking a look at each of the position groups on the Patriots ahead of the 2026 training camp slate. Wrapping up our series is a look at special teams, from the specialists to the returners.

Current Depth Chart:

Kicker: Andy Borregales (#36) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
Punter: Bryce Baringer: Fourth Season, Fourth With Patriots
Long Snapper: Julian Ashby (#47) - Second Season, Second With Patriots

Nothing has changed since last season. The Patriots did add (and subtract) this offseason, bringing in Niko Lalos to compete for the long snapping job, but he was cut following voluntary workouts. They also brought in rookie punters Mitch McCarthy and Devin Bale for tryouts, but neither of them stuck around.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025 Season In Review:

The Patriots had Joey Slye and Joe Cardona on their roster after the 2024 season. Once Mike Vrabel took over, he decided to move on from the holdovers. While retaining Springer and assistant Tom Quinn, the team drafted Borregales and Ashby -- the first to be taken at their position in the draft.

The year didn't start off on the strongest foot. Borregales missed several kicks in his first two games as a pro, while oe of Baringer's punts against Miami in Week 2 was returned for a touchdown. Eventually, pretty quickly, things got turned around.

Borregales began to make kicks at a high rate, finishing his rookie season with 27 made field goals. The return game, boosted by Marcus Jones, became a real threat for the Patriots, as he took back two punts.

The postseason is where they came into play. Borregales hit three field goals in the AFC Wild Card game, drilled one more against Denver in the AFC title game, and Leonard Taylor III's blocked field goal eventually gave the Patriots the snowy win.

Strengths:

When you look at the room, the group is just physically strong. Baringer can boot the ball with ease, something he's been gifted with since his rookie season. Borregales had one of the strongest legs in the entire draft class last year, and proved it with his range on field goals.

While Ashby did get called for a few penalties in 2025, his ability to stay durable and on the field has to be praised. He didn't have any wildly bad snaps and was a sound tackler when he got down the field. After Cardona had dealt with minor injuries in recent seasons, it was nice to see a rookie handle the weight of a long NFL season.

Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots long snapper Julian Ashby (47) walks to the practice fields at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Additionally, the team's group of special teamers has talented ... and deep. Brenden Schooler will remain a captain in all likelihood and be one of the league's best gunners.

As for the punt unit, the Patriots are also getting better and healthier. Cornerback Marcellas Dial, who worked as a gunner during his rookie season in 2024, is back from a torn ACL and should slide right back into that spot. They've also got Mike Brown, a free agent signing, who could become the team's personal protector.

Weaknesses:

The biggest glaring weakness that the Patriots had on special teams last year was on kick returner. After running back Antonio Gibson tore his ACL early on, it left the team without a true kick returning threat. Sure, they could have stuck rookie TreVeyon Henderson back there (who returned kicks in the preseason), but that would have cut into his role on offense.

New England kept trying new faces at that spot, working in Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III and D'Ernest Johnson. Nothing really stuck and now the Patriots are heading into the summer without a determined returner in place.

Baringer, who has been on-and-off during his career, has been prone to some wonky punts at time. He's very good at booting the ball down the field -- and quickly -- but sometimes catches the wrong part of his foot.

2026 Outlook:

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots place kicker Andy Borregales (36) makes a field goal from the hold of New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If all goes according to plan, the Patriots' special teams group won't be going through many cycles of changes. Each position should remain in place and (ideally) be one of the top units in the league.

The Patriots could certainly use some more spark in the kick return game, and if they can get that to help set up some easier drives offensively, this unit will become really crucial for winning tough playoff games down the stretch in December and January.

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