The New England Patriots beat the Dolphins on Sunday to advance to 5-3 on the season and 3-0 in the division. For a team that's been hit by a laundry list of injuries so far, their record is more than respectable.
Despite Sunday's victory, questions arose about inconsistencies in coaching and playcalling. Despite a conservative first-half approach, Mike Vrabel's end-of-half aggressiveness led to a Dolphins touchdown. Furthermore, an incomplete pass on 3rd & 5 let Miami keep an extra timeout, causing more strife than needed.
On special teams, Dolphins kick returner Jaylen Wright had two strong kickoff returns, taking one to his own 47-yard line and another to his own 36-yard line. He averaged more than 28 yards per return. The bigger issue, however, was Andy Borregales pushing a field goal wide right from 40 yards.
It was the former Miami Hurricane's third miss in the last eight weeks, all within 50 yards. He also missed an extra point against the Jets in Week 6.
Borregales has been a run-of-the-mill kicker since he was selected in the sixth round in 2025, so he's been inconsistent. He missed a field goal in Week 1 last season and then missed a pair of extra points in Week 2.
He finished the regular season with four missed kicks in the next 15 games while being perfect on extra points.
The sophomore kicker has shown the ability to be consistent, but that hasn't always been the case. The margin for error with the Patriots' injuries is incredibly small, and missed kicks could cost them games, especially against opponents more talented than the Dolphins.
So a practice squad addition could be wise.
3 kickers the Patriots could look to add to the practice squad
Taking a flier on a collegiate star
A fourth-round selection out of LSU in 2022, Cade York was an excellent college kicker. Over his final two years of college, he was just shy of 85% on field goals and perfect on extra points, and he earned All-SEC Second Team honors.
The NFL, however, was a different story for York.
Despite the Browns using a top-125 pick on York, his rookie season was his only with the team. He went 35/37 on extra points and 24/32 on field goals, with three misses coming inside 40 yards. He's appeared in only six games since his rookie season with the Commanders and Bengals, both in 2024.
He missed a pair of field goals in the opener for Washington, leading to his being cut. Later that season with the Bengals, he was 9/11 on field goals and 14/15 on extra points.
York has spent time with seven teams in his career, most recently battling Jason Sanders for the kicker job with the Jets. Signing York to the practice squad to push Borregales to be more consistent could be a solid move, especially if he can regain his collegiate confidence.
Adding veteran stability via the league's oldest player
Signing a 42-year-old to the practice squad isn't the most traditional route, and it wouldn't seem the most likely either. Nonetheless, the Bills rostered Matt Prater last season after Tyler Bass went down with an injury, and he performed admirably.
In 15 games, he went 18/20 on field goals and 46/49 on extra points, especially impressive considering a torn meniscus ended his season in 2024.
Prater seems more like a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option than a traditional practice squad addition. If Borregales struggles over the next week or so to the point that replacing him is the best option, signing Prater to the practice squad and elevating him for a game could work.
In that scenario, Borregales wouldn't be subject to waivers, meaning if Prater proves not to be the player he was last season, a second option remains.
Realistically, if Prater is signed, he'll kick. A 42-year-old with four kids living in Arizona signing to play second fiddle to Borregales seems very unlikely.
Reuniting with a preseason standout
A reunion, anyone? While York and Prater are interesting in their own ways, John Parker Romo seems like one of the best candidates for the Patriots' practice squad. Originally signed by Jerod Mayo's staff in December 2024, he didn't play that season, but he was in a position battle with Borregales after Joey Slye left in free agency.
During the 2025 preseason, he made all five of his kicks: a trio of extra points along with kicks from 28 and 57 yards. In the end, Vrabel opted for his own draft pick, and he also had a solid summer. After his release, Romo replaced Younghoe Koo, another former Patriot, in Atlanta.
In Week 2, Romo went 5/5 on field goals, including a 54-yarder. Despite a strong start, he went 0/2 in Week 3 and was middling until Week 9, when he returned to face the Patriots. After Drake London scored to put the Patriots up 24-23, Romo missed the extra point.
The Patriots ran out the clock to win, and they released him two days later. He hasn't been rostered since.
Borregales' woes could see Jeremy Springer look back to Romo's strong summer in New England and offer him a practice squad role.
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