Jake Bailey is eligible to come off injured reserve this week and, despite the punter's brutal struggles earlier in the season, the Patriots need him back.
Whether Bailey would be an upgrade over replacement punter Michael Palardy is debatable. Neither has been particularly good in 2022, with Bailey's woes especially disappointing given the contract extension he received during training camp.
But Bailey, who dealt with a back injury before going on IR on Nov. 19, would provide a needed boost on kickoffs.
Nick Folk only has forced one touchback on 19 kickoffs when filling in for Bailey. And practice-squad kicker Tristan Vizcaino went 0-for-2 in his lone appearance, which came during the Week 13 home loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Bailey, on the other hand, forced touchbacks on 28 of his 44 kickoffs before landing on injured reserve. Considering New England's glaring inconsistencies on special teams, limiting kickoff attempts is especially important -- as evidenced by Kene Nwangwu's 97-yard touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings on Thanksgiving night.
Plus, when Bailey is right, he's one of the best punters in football. He was named a first-team All-Pro in 2020 and remains one of the more talented punters in the NFL.
The Patriots will practice in Tucson, Ariz., on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. If Bailey returns to practice, New England then would have 21 days to add him to the active roster or rule him out for the remainder of the season.
The 7-6 Patriots will visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
