Entering this offseason, one of the New England Patriots' biggest needs was to add weapons for Drake Maye in his second season. Although it took them a while to address wide receiver, the Patriots are heading into training camp with a revamped receiving corps. The headliner among their additions is veteran Stefon Diggs, joined by Mack Hollins and Washington State rookie Kyle Williams.
While these additions were desperately needed, they have knocked two receivers the Patriots drafted in 2024 down the depth chart. Their second-round pick, Ja’Lynn Polk, and their fourth-round selection, Javon Baker, will likely now be battling to make the roster this season.
That said, Maye recently provided an update on both players' progress. Via SB Nation's Pat Pulpit, Maye said, “I think they’re ahead of where they were when we were in the first couple weeks last year, learning the new offense.”
He added, “They kind of have caught the stride of, ‘Hey, I got to be on my stuff, be in the right spot, know what to do."
Maye hyping these two players up, especially with a new regime in place after they were taken under ex-head coach Jerod Mayo, can certainly be seen as the young quarterback trying to buy his fellow draftmates some time despite them being on the roster bubble.
Drake Maye Provides Promising Update on Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker
Last season, Polk and Baker were immediately asked to step up and make an impact on the offense. Unfortunately, neither player was able to step up to the plate. Polk ended his rookie year with a measly 12 catches on 33 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
While the standards were set high for the former Washington Huskies playmaker in his rookie season, his production wouldn't have been worth the pick even if he was expected to be a huge piece of the offense. Baker, on the other hand, finished the season with one catch on four targets for 12 yards.
In most scenarios, a fourth-round receiver not being a factor in the offense as a rookie makes sense. However, given the Patriots' lack of talent at the position last year, Baker's failure to meet lofty expectations was a disappointment.
Nevertheless, Maye's comments seem to indicate that with the weight lifted off their shoulders, both Polk and Baker are ready to show how much they've grown during the offseason. It will be interesting to see if either can make it onto the first 53-man roster of the 2025 season in August.