The New England Patriots hosted punter Devin Bale for a tryout at Day 1 of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, according to MassLive’s Mark Daniels.
Bale punted for Arkansas during his college career. He redshirted his freshman season in 2023 and then became the program’s primary punter. He was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List in 2025, which is given to the nation’s best punter.
Currently, the Patriots have only one active punter on the roster in Bryce Baringer. Bringing in Bale signals potential competition at the position. It’s something to keep an eye on this summer as the team prepares for training camp.
The Patriots will officially begin training camp on Saturday, July 25.
Baringer averaged a disappointing 41.6 yards per punt during the playoffs last season. So the Patriots are either looking for an upgrade at the position or hoping to light a fire under the veteran ahead of the 2026 season. In either case, Baringer will have something to prove this summer.
