This Patriots Specialist Won’t Return From Injured Reserve

UPDATE (5:30 p.m. ET): The New England Patriots on Friday suspended punter Jake Bailey, whom head coach Bill Belichick earlier in the day said would not return from injured reserve this season. The reason for Bailey’s suspension was unclear.

ORIGINAL STORY: FOXBORO, Mass. — Jake Bailey’s 2022 season officially is over.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on Friday confirmed the fourth-year punter will not return from injured reserve this season.

Bailey, who was placed on IR with a back injury after Week 9, returned to practice Dec. 21 but never made it back onto the 53-man roster. Belichick said his IR-return window had expired, making him ineligible to return this season. Bailey was not spotted at any of the Patriots’ practices this week.

A first-team All-Pro in 2020, Bailey was in the midst of the worst season of his career before his injury, ranking last in the NFL in both yards per punt (42.1) and net yards per punt (35.2). His replacement, Michael Palardy, has been even less effective, ranking second-to-last in both of those categories while also not providing Bailey’s consistent touchback ability on kickoffs.

Palardy will continue to handle punting duties in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Bills and in any potential playoff games. The Patriots can clinch a postseason berth with a win in Buffalo or losses by Miami, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

Bailey signed a three-year, $9.1 million contract before the season that made him the NFL’s highest-paid punter at the time. The Patriots will need to hope he can rebound in 2023, as they’d incur a hefty dead-money charge if they released him.