Back in April, after the Patriots took the rare step of plucking a kicker in the NFL draft by using a sixth-round pick on Miami’s Andy Borregales, the team seemed plenty satisfied that it had found a reliable leg after the team cycled through three different kickers in the last three seasons.
But then, there was no guarantee the Patriots were going to give the job to Borregales. He would still have to earn it, and the Patriots brought in John Parker Romo, who was with the Vikings last season, to compete for the job. At the time, Borregales welcomed the challenge, calling Parker Romo a good friend.
“He went to Virginia Tech. I played him my freshman year. We trained with the same coach, Adam Tanalski,” Borregales said. “I’m good friends with him. I’m excited to get in there and we’ll compete, and may the best man win. At the end of the day, that’s still my guy.”
Andy Borregales Missed 3 of 6 Kicks
Even before Thursday night’s preseason finale against the Giants, it looked as though it was Parker Romo who was the leader down the stretch for the job. Both he and Borregales were pretty well even throughout training camp, but Parker Romo had been more consistent. In the preseason game against the Vikings, Borregales shanked a 57-yard attempt, but Parker Romo made one from that distance the previous week.
On Thursday, Borregales was called on twice to make field-goal tries in the first half. He knocked a 49-yard try wide right in the first quarter, then converted a 30-yard attempt in the second. That means that while Parker Romo made both of his first two tries, Borregales was just 3-for-his-first-6 attempts.
Mike Vrabel, though, has been non-committal on a kicker thus far. Earlier this month, he weighed in.
“They’ve both have done very well,” Vrabel said. “I think they’ve gotten better and it’s a good competition. … Just trying to get the volume and try to – every day Jeremy [Springer, special teams coordinator] and Tom [Quinn, assistant special teams coach] have a plan for them on how they’re going to kick.”
Patriots Observers Not Impressed
The beat writers who cover the Patriots were not impressed with Borregales’ showing on Thursday, and the consensus seemed to be that it is now Parker Romo’s job.
Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal wrote on Twitter/X, “3rd drafted kicker in 5 years, and he too may go the way of the dodo bird.”
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan wrote, “#Patriots rookie K Andy Borregales misses a 49-yarder. Tough start for someone in a position battle.”
Mark Daniels from MassLive said, “Andy Borregales missed the 49-yard field goal. Looking more and more like it’s Parker Romo’s job.”
Patriots’ Javon Baker Struggles — To Be Cut, Too?
Also worth noting that, on a day in which Ja’Lynn Polk was reported out for the year with shoulder surgery, wide receiver Javon Baker did not exactly take advantage of his chance to cling to a roster spot.
He continues to shine as a special-teams gunner, but with the offense, he struggled with drops, poor positioning and mental errors. A dropped potential third-down conversion was especially tough for his cause. Baker caught one pass on seven targets vs. the Vikings, and started the Giants game with no catches on two targets.
The Patriots are deep at wide receiver, and Baker, a fourth-round pick from last season, is fighting to be the No. 6 (or 7) guy in the room.
Patriots Used a 2025 Draft Pick on a Kicker. He Might Have Just Lost the Job