Patriots should steal this player from the Super Bowl champs

The New England Patriots should look to the Super Bowl champion Chiefs to steal one of their free agent players in the 2023 season.

Any way that the team can make the Chiefs worse is a path work taking.  The biggest needs for the team are along the offensive line and at wide receiver.  I think we can say this pretty objectively.

Other needs would be at cornerback, perhaps another inside linebacker, and one of the more underrated needs on the roster at punter.

Jake Bailey, coming off back to back stellar seasons and a contract extension, was a total disaster in 2022, averaging just a hair over 40 yards per punt and only 35 yards net per punt.  It was a far cry from his exceptional 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Even though he just got paid, the contract itself is moveable as punters don’t get paid a ton.  They could easily get out of the contract if they wanted.

They could do this if they tried to sign Chiefs’ stud punter Tommy Townsend, who was, just about, the best punter in the NFL this season.

Townsends stats are insane, as he averaged over 50 yards per punt and over 45 yards net.  He was a Pro Bowler and a first team All-Pro in 2022.  Townsend has gotten better with each of the three seasons he’s been in the NFL, so the development appears to be genuine.

Now, it is likely that the Chiefs do retain the player, but what if he does hit free agency?  Shouldn’t the Patriots try to throw the bag at him, as the cool kids say?

There is no question that they should if he does hit the market.  It would greatly transform the special team’s unit, which does need a boost for 2023.

Bill Belichick should ensure that every avenue is explored that could potentially help the Patriots jolt back to the elite of the NFL, where they were for so long.