The Patriots had already signed a veteran punter, Matt Haack, after Bryce Baringer sustained an injury during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Mike Vrabel described the injury as serious enough to necessitate additional_punting options, prompting the signing of Haack. Gillan’s workout indicates the team is keeping its options open while evaluating how long Baringer will be unavailable and who will handle punting duties when the season begins.
Baringer has been the Patriots’ punter since they drafted him in the sixth round in 2023. He has played in 51 consecutive regular-season games and owns a career average of 47.9 yards per punt. In the most recent preseason outing, Baringer left the game with the injury after two punts, with a rookie punter handling three attempts for the rest of the night. The rookie averaged 44.3 yards per punt on those attempts.
The Patriots’ decision to sign Haack came after he spent time in training camp with another organization and posted solid numbers last season, averaging 51.3 yards per punt with a 43.4-yard net average. Haack has also served as a holder in practice, potentially providing a versatile option should Baringer’s absence extend into the regular season.
Gillan would bring a veteran presence with 107 regular-season games to his credit. The 29-year-old entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019, spent his first three seasons with Cleveland, and then became the Giants’ primary punter for four seasons, appearing in 63 games for New York. He was released by the Giants in March after averaging 44.4 yards on 55 punts during the 2025 season, finishing with a 38.0-yard net average and 17 punts inside the 20.
Across his career, Gillan has punted 436 times for 19,727 yards, an average of 45.2 yards per attempt, with a career-long punt of 74 yards and 162 punts inside the 20. Haack’s prior experience with Gillan includes filling in for him briefly with the Giants in 2024 when Gillan was sidelined by a hamstring injury, which adds a layer of familiarity between the two veterans.
The team’s current plan involves assessing punting options as they approach the preseason finale and the 53-man roster deadline. With the regular-season opener against Seattle on the horizon, the punting job has emerged as a late-summer question for the Patriots to resolve.
