With the NFL's OTAs coming to a close, the New England Patriots will have to start examining their roster and deciding who stays and who goes. The position with the most curiosity heading into camp was the wide receiver position.
With old friend Josh McDaniels returning as offensive coordinator, fans hope the receivers in the room can make that next step in their development. Unfortunately, for former 4th-round pick Javon Baker, his time could be coming to a close.
Baker first played college football at the University of Alabama, where in his two years he played in 21 games. In those games, he had nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown before entering the transfer portal at the end of the 2021 season. Baker would eventually commit to the University of Central Florida.
In his first year playing for the Knights, he was a starter in 13 of 14 games and had 56 catches for 796 yards and 5 touchdowns. In his senior season, Baker would see his stock rise, finishing on the ALL-Big 12 1st team with 52 catches, 1,139 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Baker would declare for the 2024 NFL draft at the conclusion of the season.
After being selected by the Patriots in the fourth round, Baker had a rough rookie season. He'd only see playing time in 11 of the team's games, with only 4 targets on the year. Baker only brought in one of them for 12 yards in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills.
Moves at WR Could See Javon Baker's Time Come to an End
During the 2025 NFL free agency and draft, the Patriots made moves at the wide receiver position by signing Mack Hollins and Stefon Diggs, then drafting Kyle Williams in the third round. When factoring in the returning vets in DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, and Kayshon Boutte, the room starts to look crowded. What's made things worse for Baker is UDFA rookie WR Efton Chism III having an excellent camp.
When Baker arrived, he showed promising signs of becoming a good wide receiver. Unfortunately, the promise and expectations haven't been met on the field. With camp cuts beginning, this could be the end of Baker's time in Foxborough.