Posted at 1:28 p.m., Thursday, August 16, 2007
NFL: Patriots release veteran punter Miller
Associated Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots released 11-year veteran punter Josh Miller today, leaving the team with two punters in camp, neither of whom has appeared in a regular-season NFL game.The 37-year-old Miller played his first eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing a free agent contract with the Patriots in March 2004.
His 43.6-yard punting average in 42 regular-season games with New England ranks second in franchise history only to Tom Tupa, who had a 44.7-yard average from 1996 to 1998. Miller's 45.1-yard average in 2005 is the second best single-season mark in team history, behind Tupa's 45.8-yard average in 1997.
In 164 regular-season career games, Miller has a 43.1-yard average and has placed 247 punts inside the 20-yard line with 83 career touchbacks. He has also played in 11 career playoff games, helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl in February 2005.
The two remaining punters in Patriots camp are Danny Baugher and Tom Malone. Both were on the practice squad last season and both played in NFL Europa last spring.
The Patriots also released offensive lineman Brian Barthelmes and claimed rookie offensive lineman Chris Patrick off waivers from the New York Giants.
The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Barthelmes, signed as an undrafted free agent in May 2006, was on the Patriots practice squad last season and played in NFL Europa in the spring.
The 6-4, 280-pound Patrick was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Nebraska in July. He played in one preseason game until he was waived yesterday.
