Learning to contribute
Pats’ newest back Barner readies to help
FOXBORO — During a detailed response about the ins and outs of punt returning, Patriots coach Bill Belichick declared himself capable of doing the job.
“I feel like I can catch punts, just because I know where the ball is going to go,” Belichick said yesterday. “Well, I might drop it, but I can pick up the direction, I can get under the ball. I think it can be a learned skill. I don’t think you have to have had a lot of experience doing it.”
That’s great news, because the Patriots don’t have many players with punt return experience. Their most accomplished returner is running back Kenjon Barner, who signed with the team earlier in the week.
Barner returned 27 punts for the Eagles last season, and would have served as the returner in Super Bowl LII if the Patriots ever needed to punt (and no, Barner hasn’t mentioned that game to any of his new teammates).
Although he’s been with the Pats for less than a week, Barner could be in line for a significant role tomorrow against the Jaguars. The Pats will likely need him to field punts. They might need him on offense, too. Running backs Rex Burkhead (concussion) and Sony Michel (knee) are listed as questionable. If neither can play, James White and Barner would serve as the top two options.
“If I’m the last guy, then I’ve got to knuckle up and get it done, if I’m the last guy, you know what I’m saying? I’ve just got to get it done,” Barner said yesterday.
“No ifs, ands or buts about it. That’s the NFL.”
The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Barner logged 77 carries in five seasons and set a career high with nine when he visited Gillette Stadium in 2015 with the Eagles in Philadelphia’s 35-28 win.
He was greeted by some familiar faces in Foxboro, most notably strong safety Patrick Chung. Barner and Chung were college teammates at Oregon.
“He’s taking me under his wing again like he did my freshman year of college,” Barner said. “That guy would come to my dorm room and wake me up if I didn’t get up on time. When I would go through things, he would come and talk to me.”
In some ways, the Patriots organization reminds Barner of Chip Kelly’s Oregon program back then. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as Kelly and Bill Belichick are close.
“They don’t waste time,” Barner said. “There’s no time wasted and everything’s efficient. We can get our work done, and the attention to detail is something that I’ve never experienced.”
While he seems ready to contribute on special teams, Barner acknowledged there will be a learning curve on offense.
“I’m comfortable with the things that I know,” Barner said. “It’s been such a short period of time and there’s a lot of information to really decipher through and really understand and gain the knowledge of the playbook. Still more learning to do.”
As he acclimates to the Patriots’ complex offense, Barner will lean on veteran running backs White and Burkhead, as well as longtime position coach Ivan Fears.
Barner had a “great conversation” with Fears on his first day with the Pats.
“Not a conversation that you’d have with too many running backs coaches in the NFL,” Barner said. “Ivan is a great dude and I look forward to working with him.”
So what was so different about the chat with Fears?
“I’ll keep that between us,” Barner said, laughing. “Just know that it was a unique conversation.”