Should New England Patriots Sign Former All-Pro Punt Returner?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing former Foxboro fan-favorite Gunner Olszewski. Might a reunion with the New England Patriots be worth exploring?

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots could use some help in their return game, as well as within their corps of receivers. As fate would have it, an ex-Pat, who just happens to logistically fit the job description, might be available for a possible reunion. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing receiver/returner Gunner Olszewski. The team reportedly advised the 26-year-old of his fate on Friday afternoon. 

Olszewski joined the Patriots in 2019 as an undrafted free agent. Having played cornerback at Division II Bemidji State, he quickly adapted to receiving and returning punts in his first training camp. He would eventually become an All-Pro returner in 2020 after averaging 17.3 yards per punt return.

Once again serving as New England’s primary kick and punt returner in 2021, Olszewski continued to be productive in his role, gaining 309 yards on 26 returns. However, he saw a sharp decrease in his usage on offense. He saw the field for only six percent of New England’s offensive snaps, as opposed to an average of 13 percent from his first two years in Foxboro. His productivity as a pass catcher was limited to just two catches for 31 yards on three targets in 2021. In fact, during his three seasons with the Patriots, he amassed only nine catches for 127 yards and one touchdown.

The Steelers, in turn, ‘made that man a Gunner’ by signing Olszewski to a two-year contract worth $4.2 million in March 2022. Since his arrival in Pittsburgh, however, he struggled both with consistency and ball security. In 18 games as a Steeler, Olszewski returned just nine punts and five kickoffs. He also caught six passes for 53 yards. Perhaps most notably, he fumbled four times, including one against the Patriots in New England's Week 2 victory over Pittsburgh last season.

2020 All-Pro Punt Returner Gunner Olszewski / cred: USA Today Images

While the chances of an Olszewski-Patriots reunion in New England are still very much uncertain, New England does have an aforementioned need for his skill set.  Second-year returner Marcus Jones is currently on injured reserve with a torn shoulder labrum. At his core, Jones typically provides phenomenal athleticism at the position, with significant breakaway speed — as evidenced by his game-winning 84-yard punt return against the New York Jets in Week 11 last season. Jones compiled 1,007 total return yards in 15 games played. The ex-Houston Cougar led the NFL in total punt return yards, as well as with a 12.5-yard punt return average. He also ranked seventh in the NFL with a 23.9-yard kickoff return average, while finishing fifth in total kick return yards. For his efforts, Jones was voted to the Associated Press All-Pro first team as a punt returner, the only Patriots player to make first-or second-team All-Pro. He was also named as both an All-NFL and All-AFC punt returner by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA.) Unfortunately, the nature of his injury creates a great deal of uncertainty as to whether Jones may be able to return to action this season. 

Despite Olszewski's recent struggles, New England's positional need, along with their penchant for reuniting with former players [i.e. J.C. Jackson, Trey Flowers, etc.] make the idea at least worth considering in the coming days. 

In the meantime, the Patriots are finalizing their preparations for hosting the Buffalo Bills in a Week 7 matchup, set to kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday from Gillette Stadium. 

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