The New England Patriots had plenty of starting spots up for grabs entering training camp, with wide receiver, left guard, center, and defensive tackle all high on the list.
Kicker? No one had that on their bingo card for 2025.
The Patriots recently accomplished something no NFL team would celebrate — they used a draft pick on a kicker for the second time in three years. They’ve now hopped from veteran Nick Folk, to 2023 fourth-round pick Chad Ryland, to journeyman Joey Slye over the past three seasons.
So it was hardly a surprise when New England used a sixth-round pick on University of Miami star Andres Borregales this year. The Patriots need stability at the kicker position, and Borregales was one of the best in college football in 2024.
But in what has become one of the most surprising position battles of training camp, Borregales finds himself locked in a neck-and-neck battle with former XFL standout John Parker Romo. And while the draft capital alone makes Borregales seem like a shoo-in, that's clearly not the case entering what could be a decisive preseason finale for the Patriots' kickers on Thursday night.
John Parker Romo has pushed Patriots’ sixth-round rookie to the roster bubble
Romo had a nice four-week stretch as a spot starter for the Minnesota Vikings last season. Still, the 27-year-old was expected to be little more than an extra training camp body this summer. He signed a futures contract with New England back in January, and his chances of winning the job were dashed when the team drafted Borregales in April.
It’s time to start taking Romo seriously. He’s perfect on his kicks in the preseason, including a 57-yard bomb in the opener against Washington that has multiple reporters — including NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry and The Athletic’s Chad Graff — leaving Borregales off of their latest 53-man roster projections.
Borregales did himself no favors in Saturday’s preseason game against Minnesota, missing badly on his own 57-yard attempt. The rookie came onto the field late, the snap from Julian Ashby was poor, and the kick hooked left from the start like a bad golf shot. Borregales redeemed himself in the second half, hitting a 51-yard attempt in the fourth quarter to help the Patriots salt away their 20-12 victory.
Would the Patriots really waive Andres Borregales after selecting him No. 182 overall?
It’s highly unlikely the Patriots will move on from their 22-year-old kicker, but they’ve definitely created an uncomfortable situation for Borregales.
In his most recent spot with the local media, Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer reiterated that draft capital would play no factor in the team’s decision at kicker:
“It doesn’t matter if you’re drafted or undrafted or you were picked up in free agency. Coach Vrabel’s message is very clear: You have to earn a role. If you earn a role through consistency and showing up every day, to me, that’s the guy who’s going to win the job.”
Conventional wisdom, in a tight competition like this, would tell you to lean towards the younger prospect who’s under contract through the 2028 season. But Borregales’ job is far from safe, and a poor showing against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night could be the deciding blow.