Paxton lost; McDermott brought in
Not since Mike Bartrum four years ago has someone other than Lonie Paxton snapped for a Patriots field goal, extra point, or punt -- a span of 564 mostly clean snaps (fakes and intentional safeties not included). That streak will end Sunday against Jacksonville.
Paxton's season is over. He tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over Miami, and yesterday the Patriots decided to place Paxton on injured reserve. The team agreed to a two-year contract with long snapper Sean McDermott. The loss of Paxton forces kicker Adam Vinatieri to adjust to a new snapper and holder (backup quarterback Damon Huard) 13 games into the season.
Paxton, considered one of the league's best long snappers, knew immediately after Sunday's game what an MRI would confirm Monday: that he had torn his ACL blocking on Brooks Barnard's 10th and final punt of the game. There was some discussion among Paxton, coach Bill Belichick, and his staff about Paxton playing with a brace, but that would have limited his effectiveness in blocking and coverage.
Paxton, 26, likely will undergo surgery after the swelling subsides, which could take a month to six weeks. Should his rehabilitation continue into next season, the Patriots have McDermott as insurance.
McDermott, 27, is in his third NFL season out of Kansas, stands 6 feet 4 inches, weighs 250 pounds, and doubles as a tight end. He signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie in 2001 and snapped in every game for Tampa Bay that season. Houston took him in last year's expansion draft, and he snapped in all 16 games for the Texans. Houston drafted Texas A&M's Chance Pearce in the seventh round last spring and released McDermott. Pearce also was at Gillette Stadium yesterday for a workout; the Texans released him before the season opener at Miami.
The Dolphins signed McDermott in the preseason to replace the injured Ed Perry, but McDermott struggled for five games with off-target snaps. Miami waived him five days before New England's Oct. 19 win at Miami and replaced him with Jeff Grau.
More changes could be on the horizon for New England's special teams. League sources indicated yesterday that the Patriots weren't exactly wowed by Barnard's debut Sunday and are still in the market for a punter. In snow and winds as strong as 25 miles per hour, Barnard averaged 36.5 yards on 10 punts, with a long of 49. And though four of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, he also got off a 26-yard punt in the third quarter and appeared to lack hang time and distance on others.
New England had kicker/punter Travis Dorsch in for a visit yesterday. Dorsch was Cincinnati's fourth-round pick in 2002 out of Purdue. He's what you'd call a physical specimen: 6-6, 227. As a senior in 2001, Dorsch became the first player in Big Ten history to earn All-Conference honors at both kicker and punter and was a first-team All-American after leading the nation with a 48.4-yard regular-season punting average. He was the recipient of the 2001 Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter.
Dorsch failed to beat out incumbent Neil Rackers for the Bengals kicking job last season and this year lost the competition for the punting job to Tim Harris. He appeared in one game last season, punting five times for a 32.4-yard average. The Bengals released him Aug. 31.
The Patriots may be reluctant to introduce a second punter in as many weeks and could sign Dorsch to the practice squad instead.
Two more visitors to Gillette were tackle David Pruce, who has been to training camp with the Bills, Ravens, and Texans, and guard Pete Campion, who has made stops in Green Bay and St. Louis. . . .
The Patriots also re-signed fullback Larry Centers. To make room on the 53-man roster, they released receiver J.J. Stokes.
Centers, 35, tore a medial collateral ligament against the Giants Oct. 12. The Patriots gave him a two-week injury settlement and released him rather than end his season. That prohibited him from signing with another team for an additional six weeks, or until Week 15. Centers played in the Patriots' first six games, catching 17 passes for 96 yards and rushing for 69 yards on 15 attempts.
Stokes, signed Nov. 18, played in two games and caught two passes for 38 yards.
