Special Teams Coach Explains Punting Decision

The Miami Dolphins settled their punting competition Tuesday with the announcement that incumbent Jake Bailey would handle that role for a third consecutive season.

Bailey held off free agent acquisition Ryan Stonehouse, who came to Miami after setting an NFL single-season gross punting average record with the Tennessee Titans and then almost matching it the following season. Stonehouse was maybe seen as the favorite going into training camp based on his bigger leg (52.2 career average to Bailey's 46.1), his previous working relationship with new Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, and the fact that Bailey will cost more against the salary cap in 2025.

But Bailey responded to the challenge, particularly in the preseason game against the Detroit Lions when his two punts went for a 54.5 average, with the same net average and one downed inside the 20, a 59-yard bomb from the Miami 32 that forced Detroit to start its next drive at its own 9-yard line.

The Dolphins had not made a roster move with Stonehouse as of noon Tuesday, and one would think (and hope) GM Chris Grier was calling around the league to see if he could get a late-round pick in a trade for the punter instead of merely waiving him — and for those wondering, Stonehouse would be subject to waivers, and therefore an interested team might decide sending the Dolphins a seventh-round pick might be worth not taking the chance of another team claiming him.

WHAT AUKERMAN SAID ABOUT THE PUNTING DECISION

Aukerman spoke to the media in a previously scheduled media session before practice Tuesday, but came back out afterward to discuss the punting battle.

Here's what he said:

Opening Statement:

“They did a really good job, competitive every single day. Again, really proud of them. I know Ryan is gonna be punting somewhere in the National Football League. We just felt going forward that Jake would be our guy. Really happy with the consistency that he's been throughout camp, whether it's field punts plus 50, the preseason games, super proud to work with him and excited for him too because I know he's to have a great year.”

What was the deciding factor?

“Yeah, you know what? It was hard. Just because both of those guys, it was back and forth like constantly. Guys would hit a big ball. It would be Ryan, then it would be Jake. It was a little bit of everything. The consistency part, the holding along with Jason (Sanders), his ability to kick off, all these different types of factors that we look at. We just felt just going forward for the team that we need to move on and also help Ryan out trying to get on with another football team as quickly as he possibly could, too. So we want to do right by the players. and I know I want to do the same thing. I know Mike does. So we just felt it was going to be best for us to move forward with Jake.”

Were games a bigger factor or practice in?

“Everything, everything, and it was exciting to see Jake hit a bunch of really good footballs, like he had three field punts all over 50 yards and all over 5.0 on the hang time. So I wouldn't say it's just one thing. It was a little bit of everything that we took into consideration for him to win the job.”

You watched Bailey’s tape from last year. What's something you believed he could do better?

“Yeah, you know, when I first met with Jake, one of the biggest things was consistency with him. If we're going to be a directional punting team, we need to get the ball close to the numbers. And I felt like he's really honed in on that and focused in on being a directional (punt). And if sometimes we do hit the ball 60 yards, we've got to have great hang time with it. And there's also a factor that I tell those interior players too, it's not going to be perfect. It's not going to be outside the numbers every time. It could be in the middle of the field, but we're also paying you to go and cover. So those guys all understand that. And I think Jake is ready to go and have a great season.”

Obviously what's best for the team is what matters most, but you had a relationship with Ryan, so how difficult was that?

“Yeah, extremely difficult. When I told him today, and he knew this going into it, I had the same situation when Ryan came in as a rookie with Brett Kern. Brett Kern is the best all-time punter in Tennessee Titans history. All-Pro, Pro Bowl player, and we had to make a move and decided to go with Ryan instead of Brett Kern. So it was very difficult because he's a great person, a great teammate, and a great punter, and it's always tough to go through those situations, but at the end of the day, that's what we're here to do as coaches, make those difficult decisions, and what we feel is best for the football team going forward.”

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