Patriots punter Jake Bailey is not playing up to expectations in 2022, and it’s fair to say the team is putting more pressure on him to perform.

That’s because the Pats recently worked out a group of punters, as reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The team got a second look at undrafted rookie Jake Julien, who spent time with the team in training camp before being cut in August.

In addition, the Patriots worked out three veterans: Jordan Berry, Michael Palardy, and Ty Long. In other words, experienced punters who could realistically push for a job on an NFL team. All three played in 2021 and have a combined 15 seasons of NFL experience between them.

Reiss said earlier this week that a “possible scenario” for the Patriots is to sign a punter to the practice squad for “in-house depth and game-day elevation possibility.” That last part seems fairly explosive in the context of the punter position, which Bailey has held down since 2019. Bailey also earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2020, and parlayed that into a four-year extension in the off-season to become the highest-paid punter in the NFL.

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 06: Jake Bailey #7 of the New England Patriots reacts after a bad punt during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 06, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

Bailey’s fourth season, however, has been a disappointment. His 43.2 yards per punt rank 31st in the NFL, and his average kickoff of 64.2 yards is merely 19th. But he doesn’t seem to be in any actual danger of losing his job.

Patriots special teams coordinator Cam Achord spoke with reporters on Friday, and downplayed the idea that the Patriots working out punters this week was anything out of the ordinary. Most importantly, he completely had Bailey’s back.

“There’s no lack of confidence in Jake, I have full confidence in Jake,” Achord said. “I know we work out guys every week. I’ve been here five years and we’ve worked out kickers and punters every year, so it’s not like it’s something new, it’s just however it falls in the season it happens to fall.

“But Jake, no, I have all the confidence in the world in Jake. He does everything I’m asking for. We’ve just got to continue to work every day for it.”

Aug 29, 2019; Foxborough, MA: New England Patriots punter Jake Bailey punts the ball during the second half against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. (Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

As for the cause of Bailey’s struggles, Achord mentioned “ball contact” as a point of emphasis for him to improve. Achord feels Bailey’s timing has been good and he’s not rushing into his kicks. But if you’re not accurate striking the ball, it could take just being off by a half-inch to turn a bomb into a shank.

And it’s clear that the Patriots didn’t just happen to work out punters this week. Especially considering that three of the punters are veterans, whom Bill Belichick may view as a plausible answer to the team’s punting struggles. But it sure sounds like Bailey isn’t in any sort of real danger.

Still, it must be hard for Bailey not to feel pressure, particularly if the Patriots end up signing another punter. If the workouts were merely designed to sharpen Bailey’s focus and get the most out of him going forward, there’s no harm in taking a look at other options.

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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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