The Patriots’ new duo is making strides early in training camp.
In its essence, football is a game of connection. Whether it is actual physical connection on the field, be it in the form of tackles, completed passes for handoffs, or a mental one, the team that connects best is the one that oftentimes comes out ahead.
Building connection is certainly important across the board, but it is downright crucial at a few certain spots on the team. Among them are long snapper and punter; besides needing to be on the same page on punt plays, they also have to be able to hook up on field goals and extra points.
Connection is, of course, best built through time and shared experience. The New England Patriots’ punter-snapper pair does not have that luxury.
While punter Bryce Baringer has been with the team since becoming a sixth-round draft selection in 2023, long snapper Julian Ashby only arrived back in April as a seventh-round pick. Since then, the clock has been ticking for the duo: with veteran snapper Joe Cardona gone, the Baringer-Ashby pairing is now running the show.
And for that show to run, it all starts with the connection — one they have been actively working on during spring and summer so far.
“A lot of it is just spending time with one another, reps, watching film together, kind of seeing what helps him,” explained Baringer recently.
“In terms of where I’m standing on punt, it might be a little wide. Field goals, it’s all about reps, finding where his laces are for me to catch them. I don’t want him doing anything different. What I’ll change is the depth in which I catch the ball and that’s kind of how we find laces. So, just getting all those reps with him has been really beneficial for not just me, but I think for both of us and eventually the unit.”
Even though he has only two years of NFL experience under his belt, Baringer is the elder statesman among New England’s specialists. Besides Ashby, the team also added a new kicker — seventh-rounder Andres Borregales — in the draft this year. The only other specialist, fellow kicker Parker Romo, joined the club in December 2024.
As a consequence, Baringer has found himself in a natural leadership role.
“It feels good. It feels weird a little bit just because I’m still learning so much just going into Year 3,” he said. “But I just try to be a resource for them. I’ve seen some football, some situations. I haven’t seen it all; I don’t know if I ever will, but who has or who hasn’t. But it feels good to be a guy that if they need something they can come to. Just trying to be there for them, be a good vet. But also stay focused on a common goal: be good specialists, be good at what we do, and it’ll be good.”
At least as far as the success of the punting and kicking operations is concerned, it all starts with him and Ashby — and with the connection they are building. Luckily for both and their team, the rookie is putting in the work.
“Julian works really hard,” said Baringer. “It’s a tribute to him as a player. We’re doing a bunch of drills with them. Obviously, the transition from college to the NFL is a lot different for long snappers, but he’s working his butt off and he cares a lot about the details. He’s a grinder. He’s doing well. Proud of him so far, so hopefully, we can keep growing.”