Former Patriots punter Jake Bailey visiting with AFC East rival

Despite the New England Patriots releasing Jake Bailey last Friday, the punter may not be leaving the AFC East. The former Patriots All-Pro punter is visiting with the Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Bailey and the Patriots agreed to a lucrative four-year, $13.5 million contract extension last summer, but things quickly went south. The 2020 All-Pro continued his struggles from the ‘21 season and ranked last in the league in terms of average (42.1 yards) and net average (35.3).

Things got even worse after Bailey landed on the injured reserve with a back injury in November. While he eventually returned to practice, Bailey was never activated and instead suspended by the team for the final two games of the season.

The punter filed a grievance against the team as the suspension came as a “surprise” to him and his agent, Doug Hendrickson. Bailey is currently due $2.12 million in guaranteed money from the Patriots in 2023, which could be voided based off the results of the grievance.