The Miami Dolphins are keeping Jake Bailey as their starting punter and releasing Ryan Stonehouse, the latter’s agent told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Stonehouse, 26, signed with the Dolphins earlier this year, reuniting with special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, who was his former coach with the Tennessee Titans. But the fourth-year punter was clearly outplayed by Bailey in the Dolphins’ first two preseason games.
“Hats off to both of those guys,” Aukerman told reporters Tuesday, via David Furones of the Sun Sentinel. “Competitive every single day. Ryan’s going to be punting somewhere in the National Football League. We just felt, going forward, that Jake would be our guy. We’re really happy with the consistency he’s been throughout camp.”
The two veterans had three punts each with Bailey averaging 56 yards and dropping two inside the 20-yard line. Stonehouse, who said earlier this offseason that he’s been prioritizing hang time, only managed 43.3 yards per punt with one downed inside the 20.
Bailey, who joined the Dolphins as a free agent in 2023, is entering his seventh NFL season. In his first two years with Miami, he averaged 45.7 and 47.1 yards per punt with net averages of 40.7 yards in each season. Additionally, Bailey has been a reliable holder for kicker Jason Sanders, who made a franchise-record 27 consecutive field goals to end the 2024 season.
Miami reportedly reached terms with veteran pass rusher Matthew Judon on Monday, which means the Dolphins had to release a player to make room on the roster.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins choose winner of Jake Bailey vs. Ryan Stonehouse punter battle
Reporting by Adam Stites, Dolphins Wire / Dolphins Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
