The New England Patriots may have to rethink how their final 53-man roster coming out of training camp will look following the surprising loss of a skill position player on Thursday.
Entering the preseason, the pecking order in the wide receiver room was something that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and the offensive coaching staff needed to sort out. Whether it impacts their final decisions or not, one player who was involved in those conversations has reportedly elected to undergo season-ending surgery on his shoulder.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, 2024 second-round draft pick Ja'Lynn Polk is set to undergo surgery on his shoulder to repair an injury so that he is healthy and ready to go for the 2026 campaign.
Sources: #Patriots WR Ja'Lynn Polk will miss the entire 2025 season due to a shoulder injury that requires surgery.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 21, 2025
The 2024 second-round pick saw multiple specialists, and surgery was determined to be the best course of action — with the goal of being fully healthy for 2026. pic.twitter.com/Ee3okqZ7QX
Patriots WR Ja'Lynn Polk's Season Suddenly Over After Surprise Surgery News
After meeting with multiple specialists, Schultz reports that Polk is going to go under the knife to fully repair the shoulder injury he suffered during the team's preseason opener. With Polk done for the season, New England will be without a young player who was expected to, at the least, provide depth on the outside behind projected starters Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, and rookie Kyle Williams.
With this decision coming when it did, the Patriots' hands are tied when it comes to their options with Polk moving forward. Despite the wideout having already received the $8.2 million in guaranteed money attached to his rookie contract, releasing the former Washington Huskies standout would not save the franchise any money. In fact, per Spotrac, releasing Polk now would cost New England $2,312,881 in cap space.
This is all said before touching on the lack of production Polk provided during his rookie season despite being selected with the No. 37 overall pick. Of his 33 targets on the season, Polk only reeled in 12 for receptions over 15 games for 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns. That isn't good enough, no matter when a player was drafted, let alone one taken in the top 40 picks.
Whether they look outside of the organization or deeper down the depth chart among the players already in camp, expect the Patriots to make some sort of move to replace Polk for the 2025 campaign as Week 1 is right around the corner.
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