Raymond

Ventrone

Considered one of the top special teams coaches in the league, Ventrone was also interviewed for the Colts head coaching vacancy before the team ultimately decided on Shane Steichen. A former player for the Browns (2009-2012), Ventrone first joined the coaching ranks in 2015 as an assistant special teams coach with the Patriots before being hired by the Colts in 2018.

Ventrone, one of the NFL’s top special teams coaches who interviewed for the Colts’ head coaching opening in January, would replace recently-dispatched Cleveland special teams coordinator Mike Priefer. Ventrone, 40, headed the league’s fourth best special teams unit in 2022, per Pro Football Focus grades. He was a special teams standout for the Browns from 2009 to 2014. Ventrone would be an outsized loss for the Colts if he takes Cleveland’s offer.

A long-haired special teams wild man during his NFL playing days, Ventrone, 40, started his coaching career in 2015 with the Patriots and landed the Colts special teams coordinator job in 2018. He’ll be among a cavalcade of coaching candidates -- including, somehow, Jeff Saturday -- to vie for the team’s head coaching gig this month. Pro Football Focus graded the Colts’ special teams unit as the league’s fourth best in 2022.

Ventrone was a practice squader that many around the Patriots organization thought had a lot of potential. He’s questionable for the start of training camp.

A core special teamer, Ventrone is hoping to play through the injury, presumably with a club on his hand. Without Ventrone, the Browns gave up an 81-yard punt return score to Pacman Jones in Week 2.

Ventrone, 30, can’t function on defense. He’ll vie for a special teams role.

“Bubba” Ventrone spent nine seasons in the NFL, bouncing from New England to Cleveland to San Francisco. He was a career special teamer and should fit in nicely on the Patriots’ staff after getting his start there.

None of these cuts are especially surprising.

It appears the Patriots have deemed Ventrone ready to help out during the playoffs after he briefly was on the roster earlier this season. He’ll play on special teams coverage, helping to replace recently released Rashad Baker.

After more than two years in NFL Europe and the practice squad, Ventrone gets to make his career debut. There’s now a good chance now that Eddie Jackson won’t come off PUP at all.