The New England Patriots made just one roster move on the eve of their home opener, keeping a veteran specialist in place while Bryce Baringer remains sidelined.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported Saturday that New England elevated punter Mitch Wishnowsky from the practice squad and made no other transactions before Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
🏈Elevated from practice squad: Punter Mitch Wishnowsky
No other moves.
The move puts Wishnowsky in line to punt for the second straight game.
He handled the job in the Patriots’ 13-10 Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, averaging 44.2 yards on four punts with a 42.0-yard net. Three landed inside the 20-yard line, and Seattle returned only one for nine yards.
Wishnowsky Gives Patriots Stability With Baringer on IR
Baringer has been on injured reserve since the end of August after suffering an undisclosed injury during the preseason. NBC Sports reported that the injury will keep him out for at least the first four games of the regular season.
The Patriots added Wishnowsky to the practice squad Aug. 31, one day after the Buffalo Bills released him. New England then elevated him for the season opener. The move came after the Patriots officially placed Baringer on injured reserve and included Wishnowsky among their initial practice-squad additions.
Wishnowsky’s first Patriots appearance offered an encouraging start. Along with pinning three punts inside the 20 without a touchback, the 34-year-old handled holding duties on New England’s 50-yard field goal.
There is plenty of experience behind that performance. The San Francisco 49ers selected Wishnowsky in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Utah. He spent six seasons with San Francisco before a brief stay on the Washington Commanders practice squad and a 2025 run with Buffalo.
Wishnowsky has averaged 45.6 yards per punt over 106 regular-season appearances, via the Patriots’ official roster page. He has dropped 159 punts inside the 20 through his first New England appearance.
He also brings substantial postseason experience. Wishnowsky punted in both of San Francisco’s Super Bowl appearances during his tenure. In Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs, he averaged 50.8 yards on five punts, matching the highest single-game punting average in Super Bowl history.
Patriots Keep Roster Quiet Before Steelers Matchup
What stands out about Saturday’s transaction is that it was the Patriots’ only move.
Reiss specifically noted New England made “no other moves,” leaving Wishnowsky as the lone practice-squad elevation before the team’s first game at Gillette Stadium this season.
The decision creates continuity for the special teams operation. Wishnowsky has worked a regular-season game with New England’s coverage units and holding operation rather than forcing the Patriots to introduce an supplementary punter after one week.
The elevation also furnishes New England with flexibility. Under NFL practice-squad rules, an elevated player returns to the practice squad after the game without passing through waivers. A player can be elevated for up to three regular-season games before another appearance requires a move to the 53-man roster.
The Patriots host Pittsburgh at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. New England enters at 0-1 after its loss in Seattle, while the Steelers are 1-0 following a 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Until Baringer is eligible to return, Wishnowsky is New England’s answer at a position that went awry late in the preseason.
Patriots Call Up 2-Time Super Bowl Veteran as Lone Move Before Steelers Game