One of the better punters is now on the open market. According to Jim McBride of The Boston Globe, seven-year NFL punter Ryan Allen is no longer a member of the New England Patriots. Allen spent the first six years of his career in New England before the Patriots selected Jake Bailey in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
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
New England Patriots Release Ryan Allen
Allen, a three-time Super Bowl champion, first joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft. Originally brought in to battle Zoltan Mesko, Allen won the job out of camp and served as New England’s primary punter for the next six seasons. During his time in New England, Allen recorded 406 punts for an average of 45.3 yards per punt.
Ryan Allen had a knack for playing his best in big moments. Back in Super Bowl 49, Allen had the longest punt in Super Bowl history. That impressive kick pales in comparison to what he did in Super Bowl 53. Allen, along with the punt coverage unit, launched five punts for 43 yards-per-punt while trapping the Los Angeles Rams inside their 20-yard line on three separate occasions. New England extended Ryan prior to the start of the season, but they obviously felt that Jake Bailey represented an upgrade at the position. Allen shouldn’t be out of work for long, as he’s one of the NFL’s better punters.
Jake Bailey has yet to kick a professional punt, but he’s reportedly been fantastic in training camp and in the preseason. Multiple beat reporters have noted that Bailey’s punts can regularly get five or more seconds of hang time, and the rookie also had a 65-yard drop kick in New England’s second preseason matchup. Punters typically don’t go in the fifth round, but Bill Belichick truly believes that Jake Bailey is something special.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
