The New England Patriots have already cut ties with one of last year’s top draft picks before Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season is over. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Patriots are sending wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk to the New Orleans Saints in a surprise trade. The second-year wideout was drafted 37th overall last year, but it's clear he didn't align with New England's future plans.
Polk’s never lived up to expectations during his brief time with the Patriots. As a rookie, Polk appeared in 15 games and had only 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He struggled to find consistency, often buried in the game plan behind DeMario Douglas and veteran options, opening the door for Saturday's trade.
Patriots Trade WR Ja'Lynn Polk to Saints in Week 2
After a quiet rookie season, Polk’s path to playing time became even murkier when New England reshaped its receiving corps, drafting Kyle Williams and adding veterans Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency. What once looked like Polk’s opportunity to grow into a bigger role quickly vanished as he slid further down the depth chart.
Coming into his sophomore season, Polk was on the outside looking in and needed to prove he was worthy of his second-round selection. Unfortunately for the 23-year-old playmaker, a shoulder injury in the first preseason game landed him on injured reserve.
With the roster spot better used elsewhere, New England has decided to move on. The Patriots packaged Polk with a 2028 seventh-round pick in the deal that sent him to New Orleans, receiving a 2027 sixth-rounder in exchange. It’s a modest return for a player once viewed as a potential starter, but it allows the team to reset at the position and give Polk a fresh opportunity elsewhere.
For the Patriots, the trade adds to a long and frustrating trend. Polk joins a list of recently drafted New England receivers — including N’Keal Harry, Tyquan Thornton, and Aaron Dobson — who never became every-down contributors. The team now turns its attention to a new foundation built around Douglas, Williams, and Kayshon Boutte, with hopes that this group can finally break the cycle of draft misses.
For Polk himself, this trade may be his best chance to reset his career. A new system, new teammates, and a less crowded depth chart could give the young wideout an opportunity he never found in Foxborough. At just 23 years old, there’s still time for him to rewrite his NFL story — and New Orleans may be the place where he does it.