Much of the offseason focus and discussion surrounding the Patriots have been about improving their offense, specifically their receiving corps.
Although there's no doubt that should have been near the top of priorities for Bill Belichick and Co. over the last few months, it appears one of the weaker units of the team has been overlooked by most.
Over the last handful of years, the performance of the Patriots special teams drastically plummeted, and unfortunately, they've had to deal with the consequences in several games during that time.
Despite an effort to make the unit better last year, we saw the rise and fall of Jake Bailey right in front of our eyes and then heard the news of his eventual release.
Nick Folk has been a reliable fixture within the mess but seemingly began showing his age as he struggled last season, missing five field goals and three extra points.
One shimmer of light from rookie Brenden Schooler's performance throughout the season became increasingly crucial as Matthew Slater's future seemed unclear.
But the continued mishaps on kickoffs and punt returns sealed the Patriots' fate too many times in too many games last year, making Bill Belichick prioritize the unit during the 2023 draft earlier this year.
There are certainly a few contenders to be real contributors if they make the final 53-man roster, but two special teamers, in particular, are set to be the biggest and most needed difference makers for the upcoming season.
Bryce Baringer - punter
The Patriots special teams has been uncharacteristically bad over the last few seasons, with punting being one of the weaker aspects of the unit.
With the decision to move on from Jake Bailey in the rearview mirror, who went on to sign with the Miami Dolphins, Belichick desperately needed to address the position quickly and early in the draft.
Fortunately, he did just that by taking Bryce Baringer out of Michigan State, one of the highest-ranked punters of the 2023 draft class.
It also marked the first time an NFL team drafted a punter and kicker in the same draft in 23 years, a very Belichick-ian move don't you think?
After Bailey was placed on injured reserve in November, Michael Palardy was signed in hopes of replacing the one-time All-Pro with the hopes of performing better than him, as well. But that didn't go according to plan, either.
With Palardy gone, the glaring punter issue still needed to be addressed. And that's when Baringer, who was drafted to the right team at the right time, came in.
Given the enormity of the importance of his position, Baringer is likely already a roster lock. Unless, for some reason, he comes out and performs similarly to the disaster that was Palardy, there's no way Baringer doesn't make the team.
Hopefully, he can help ensure we won't see two punt return touchdowns by the Bills again.
Chad Ryland - kicker
Since the departure of Stephen Gostkowski after the 2019 season, the Patriots have struggled to find a reliable replacement.
There was the questionable decision to draft Justin Rohrwasser in the 2020 draft, whose short stint with the team began and ended dramatically.
Nick Folk was initially signed to the practice squad that same year, with no real intention for him to be their permanent kicker. But after his performance, despite being bounced back and forth from the practice squad and the main roster, Folk was re-signed and has remained part of the team.
Through 2021 and most of 2022, Folk was reliable and often the only consistent scorer on the team. However, his performance last season went through peaks and valleys, bringing up the question if Folk would continue at the position the following season.
Without knowing the answer to that with certainty, Belichick made sure he got his hands on the kicker he wanted in this year's draft, trading up to select Chad Ryland out of Maryland.
He was assumingly brought in to replace Folk, who will turn 39 during the season. But there's also speculation about keeping the veteran on the team if things go awry with Ryland.
Folk's presence could be a vital component to the rookie's growth, to learn from a kicker with 15 years of experience in the league and who is quite familiar with the challenges of being a new member of the Patriots.
Both Baringer and Ryland have the potential to be standout performers during the 2023 season, as their performances will be vital to the overall success of the team.
Because of their highly-regarded skillsets and top rankings entering the draft, there is a lot of hope that they will live up to those expectations and help get the special teams back on track.