Patriots reportedly releasing punter Ryan Allen
Sep 24, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots punter Ryan Allen (6) prepares to punt the ball during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
It took just two weeks for the Patriots to officially name the winner of their training camp battle at punter, as Ryan Allen has been released, according to the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride.
Breaking: The #Patriots are releasing punter Ryan Allen, per league source. He was with the team for six seasons and won three Super Bowls.
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) August 19, 2019
Allen’s release comes on the heels of veteran wideout Julian Edelman being officially activated off New England’s non-football injury list, and with wide receiver Josh Gordon returning to the team facilities on Monday.
It’s also the fallout of a punting competition that’s clearly favored rookie Jake Bailey.
Drafted in the fifth round in 2019, Bailey has outperformed Allen this preseason, averaging 49.5 yards (and plenty of hang time) on his two punts this preseason while Allen averaged 43.8 yards on his five punts through two preseason games.
Undrafted out of Louisiana Tech, Allen beat out Zoltan Mesko for New England’s punter gig in 2013, and spent the next six seasons with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl championships in Patriot Blue. Allen established a career-high in punting average in his second season (46.4 yards), and actually came within one yard of matching his career-high of a 67-yard punt (twice) by way of a 66-yard punt in a Nov. 11 loss to the Titans last season.
Allen certainly made his last game in a Patriot uniform count, too, as he was fantastic in Super Bowl LIII, hammering five punts for an average of 43 yards and three times pinning the Rams inside their 20 en route to a 13-3 victory.
