FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots re-signed punter Ken Walter on Friday. The club subsequently released rookie punter Brooks Barnard.
Walter, 31, re-joins the team after playing in 42 games for New England, including the first 12 contests this season, before he was released on Dec. 2, 2003. He has recorded 63 punts for the Patriots in 2003, averaging 37.9 yards per kick with a 33.5-yard net average. He was originally signed by New England as a free agent on Oct. 17, 2001. In his Patriots career, Walter has punted 182 times for 7,072 yards and averaged 38.9 yards per punt. The 6-foot-1-inch, 207-pound Kent State product is in his seventh NFL season, having also punted for the Carolina Panthers from 1997-2000. A native of Euclid, Ohio, Walter has played in 103 games in his NFL career and has punted 473 times for an average of 39.8 yards.
Barnard, 24, was signed by the Patriots on Dec. 3, 2003. The 6-foot-3-inch, 195-pound rookie played in the first game of his NFL career last week against Miami. He punted 10 times for an average of 36.5 yards with a 32.5-yard net average.
