With the New England Patriots wrapping up their OTAs and mandatory minicamp, the focus shifts to the start of training camp in late July. The real football will commence, with pads on and longshot players hungry to earn themselves a spot on the 53-man roster heading into Week 1.
New head coach Mike Vrabel will try to restore the faith in New England after back-to-back 4-13 seasons, and has laid down the ground rules for every player, coach, or front office member who walks into 1 Patriot Place.
The former Patriots linebacker, along with de facto GM Eliot Wolf, has made their mark on this Patriots roster through the draft and free agency. To improve positions of concern along the front seven and at wide receiver, the duo added key players such as Stefon Diggs, Milton Williams, Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and Kyle Williams, among others.
As a coach who religiously believes in building winners at all three phases of the game, Vrabel also drafted a kicker and long snapper with the team's 6th and 7th round draft selections in April. Former Miami kicker Andres Borregales has shone throughout spring practices, and Julian Ashby out of Vanderbilt will look to be the long-term successor to Joe Cardona.
Circling back to Borregales, his stellar play throughout the spring, paired with the lackluster performances of his competition, has caught the eye of Patriots fans all offseason. John Parker Romo could be an early cut candidate after recent developments coming out of Patriots' minicamp.
John Parker Romo Making Kicker Decision Easy for Mike Vrabel
Signed as a rookie free agent in 2022 by the Saints, Parker Romo made stops with the Bears and Lions before getting his first chance at kicking for the Vikings in 4 games last season. In those games, the 27-year-old went 11-12 (91.7%) on field goal tries and 7-8 (87.5%) on extra point attempts in the Twin Cities. He would then be released in early December after starter Will Reichard returned from injury.
At the time, the Patriots were going through their own kicking fiasco with Joey Slye, and added Parker Romo to their practice squad just three days after his release. The journeyman would remain with the team and signed a futures/reserve contract in early January.
Joey Slye signed with the Titans earlier in the offseason, leaving Parker Romo and Borregales as the two kickers fighting for the starting job.
Field goals from 33, 40, 45, and 51. Andy Borregales went 4/4, John Parker Romo missed from 51.
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) June 10, 2025
Borregales has seemed to always one-up Parker Romo through the spring practices, with the rookie showing why he was named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and All-ACC First Team member in 2023. Parker Romo, on the other hand, has his work cut out for him heading into training camp after looking to be the clear favorite to win the job before April's draft.
Not all hope is lost for the former Virginia Tech Hokie, as training camp could allow Parker Romo a fresh start in pads. Kicking in the spring without the pressure of NFL crowds is much different than kicking in the frigid winter weather that New England presents.
If the Patriots were to cut ties with Parker Romo ahead of training camp, some available kickers they could target include Nick Folk, Matt Prater, Zane Gonzalez, and Eddy Pineiro. With that said, it's a good sign that Borregales has been rock solid over the course of OTAs and minicamp. New England has been in a desperate search for their kicker of the future since the Stephen Gostkowski days.
While the Borregales vs. Parker Romo kicking battle may not be the most exciting story of the Patriots offseason, it will certainly generate some buzz once the pads come on in late July, if the latter is still a Patriot by then.
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