Jake Bailey might not be leaving the AFC East, Chris Mason of Masslive reports.

The former All-Pro punter is visiting with the Miami Dolphins on Friday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Patriots cut Bailey last week after a bizarre 2022 calendar year.

New England inked Bailey to a top-of-the-market four-year, $13.5 million contract extension last summer, but it was all downhill from there. The 2020 All-Pro was the worst statistical punter in the league, finishing dead last in average (42.1 yards) and net average (35.3 yards). The Patriots placed him on injured reserve with a back injury in November, and though he eventually returned to practice, he never got back on the game field.

Then, Bailey was suspended for the final two games of the year. His agent Doug Hendrickson said the punter didn’t even know why he was suspended.

“While Jake Bailey was on IR he never missed a single treatment, meeting or practice,” Hendrickson said. “He was hoping to come off IR to play last weekend, but Jake was informed he was being suspended these last two games. This comes as a surprise given his full participation during injury reserve. We have filed a grievance to fight this unknown suspension.”

Bailey was due $2.12 million in guaranteed money in 2023 that could be voided by the suspension, so filing a grievance with the NFLPA made sense. However, in his final media availability of the season, Belichick said he saw a future with the team for both Bailey and Jack Jones, who was suspended in a different incident.

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