New England Patriots re-sign LB Jose Ramirez; release Rizy, Baringer
The New England Patriots re-signed linebacker Jose Ramirez to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Jacob Rizy from the practice squad and punter Bryce Baringer from the injured reserve list, the team announced Oct. 26, 2026. Ramirez returns to New England after spending time on both the practice squad and the 53-man roster this season. Rizy had been with the practice squad following his rookie signing in May 2026. Baringer had been on injured reserve since Aug. 31, 2026.
Ramirez, 27, originally signed to the Patriots’ practice squad on Sept. 1, 2026 and is listed at 6-foot-2 and 252 pounds. He has played in two games for New England this season on defense and on special teams. Ramirez entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2023 NFL draft from Eastern Michigan and spent his rookie season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad before making the 53-man roster in 2024. After a 2025 release that led him to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, he signed a futures contract with Philadelphia on Jan. 15, 2026 but was released on Aug. 30, 2026.
Jacob Rizy, 24, was originally signed by New England as a rookie free agent on May 8, 2026 from Florida State and is listed at 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds. He was released at the end of training camp and initially signed to the practice squad before being released on Sept. 17. Rizy spent three seasons at Harvard (2021-23) before transferring to Florida State for two seasons (2024-25). He was re-signed to the Patriots’ practice squad on Oct. 19 prior to this latest roster move.
Bryce Baringer, 27, was drafted by New England in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft from Michigan State and is listed at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds. He averaged 47.9 yards per punt on 219 attempts in 51 regular-season games during his NFL career. Baringer was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 31, 2026 and the team announced his release from the injured reserve list on Oct. 26, 2026. The move removes a veteran punter from the Patriots’ roster picture.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Re-signing Jose Ramirez restores a player familiar to the Patriots’ special teams and defensive rotations, as he has appeared in two games for New England this season and has NFL game experience dating to his time with Tampa Bay. Jacob Rizy’s release reduces the team’s developmental depth along the offensive line after he spent time on the practice squad following training camp. The release of Bryce Baringer severs the club’s roster tie to a proven punter and adjusts the Patriots’ injured-reserve and practice-squad composition heading into upcoming weeks.