Patriots have a truly special player in Marcus Jones returning punts, but who will step up on kickoffs?
With training camp set to start at the end of the month, we’ll provide a position-by-position breakdown of where the Patriots stand. We went through the offense and defense. Today, we wrap things up with a look at special teams.
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Roll call (regular-season stats): K Andy Borregales (27 for 32 on field goals, 53 for 55 on extra points), P Bryce Baringer (47.4 yards per punt), LS Julian Ashby, KR Efton Chism (16 returns, 23.9-yard average), KR Kyle Williams (11 returns, 26.4-yard average), PR Marcus Jones (21 returns, 17.3-yard average, 2 touchdowns), Brenden Schooler (19 tackles), Dell Pettus, Marcellas Dial (ended the season on injured reserve), Quintayvious Hutchins, Jam Miller.
By the numbers:
1: The number of kickers who were perfect from 50-plus yards with at least four attempts in the regular season last year. Borregales was the only one (4 for 4).
3: The number of times a member of the Patriots was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2025. Antonio Gibson (Week 2), Jones (Week 4), and Borregales (Week 12).
14.3: The career average return yards per punt from Jones — the best in NFL history.
The skinny: Let’s start with this: Jones is among the best punt returners in the history of the game. Last year, he became the fourth Patriot to return multiple punts for touchdowns in a season, joining Troy Brown (2001), Irving Fryar (1985), and Mike Haynes (1976). As long as you have a guy like that on your roster, you’re always going to be better than a lot of other franchises on special teams.
The rest of the group is best classified as middle of the pack. Borregales shook off a rocky start to the season to finish strong, going 12 for 15 over the last six regular-season games. Baringer had a good year but struggled in the postseason, while core special teamer Schooler is among the best in the league.
There are questions: Following Gibson’s season-ending knee injury in October, the team couldn’t find a consistent answer at kickoff returner (Chism ended up leading the team in chances). There also were occasional kickoff coverage issues against some of the league’s better teams (in a December loss, the Bills averaged a whopping 41 yards per kickoff return).
But like we’ve seen at other positions on the New England roster — Christian Gonzalez at cornerback, Milton Williams at defensive tackle, and Drake Maye at quarterback — one extraordinary talent is often capable of covering up for some of the deficiencies at other areas of need. The Patriots’ special teams have a player like that in Jones.
How does this position rate against the rest of the league? Good. Jones remains the best part of the group, and if they can find a kickoff returner like Gibson, this has the potential to be a top-10 group.
Quote of note: “Can’t say enough about Marcus Jones. Best in the game at it.” — Maye, speaking about Jones’s performance as a punt returner last season.
Biggest story lines: Can Jones continue to be one of the best punt returners in the league? Can anyone seize the kickoff return job, or will it be a Chism/Williams combo? Can Baringer bounce back after an inconsistent finish to last season?
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