Patriots Draft Preview: Special Teams Doesn't Need Much Retooling

Special teams has always been a staple close to the hearts of New England Patriots fans, and that unit has found a resurgence under coordinator Jeremy Springer.

Since being hired as the special teams coordinator in 2024, Springer has remained on staff, overseeing a productive unit. Whether it's punt returns by Marcus Jones, kick returns by Antonio Gibson or setting franchise records in the kicking game, the third phase of the game as been excellent for the Patriots.

Here's the 11th and final installment of the Patriots On SI Positional Draft Preview, taking a look at which kickers, punters and long snappers could be added to New England's roster this spring.

Current Depth Chart:

Let's start at the kicker position. Andy Borregales -- the first one taken off the board last spring -- started off his rookie season very slow. Misses against the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins made Patriots fans across New England collectively groan. But he began to settle in, finishing the 2025 season with 31 made field goals and 60 made extra points.

Bryce Baringer, the punter, is now entering his fourth year with the Patriots. After two years where he was called on plenty of times, this past season wasn't his best. Struggles for Baringer, coupled with the fact that he's now entering a contract year, puts his job security up in jeopardy for 2026.

For long snapper, Julian Ashby is coming off a productive first season in the NFL. Despite that, the team signed free agent defensive end-turned-long snapper Niko Lalos this past offseason. While the incumbent Ashby is the favorite to win the job, it's eye-opening for the team to create a positional battle this summer.