Javon Baker Sends a Message With Incredible Day at Pats OTA

Every NFL player must fight off distractions at some point in their career and rookies aren't exceptions. New England Patriots wideout Javon Baker learned that the hard way on Wednesday when an anonymous AFC executive raised concerns about alleged off-field issues and an overbearing father.

While some first-year players might struggle to deal with unsubstantiated rumors, the Patriots are lucky that Baker isn't one of those players. If anything, the rumors surrounding the rookie playmaker only motivated him to send a message during the latest offseason workouts (OTAs).

Patriots News: Javon Baker Pops Off During OTAs

The Patriots held another OTA session on Wednesday and Baker was, by far, one of the team's best performers. MassLive's Mark Daniels reported that the first-year pass-catcher connected with quarterback Jacoby Brissett for a pair of dazzling 7-on-7 catches.

Baker allegedly caught a touchdown in double coverage for the first play before leaping over a defensive back "for another great catch."

Not only was Baker's encouraging performance noticed by reports, but he also received some love from Brissett. Once OTAs were over, the veteran QB told the media that the rookie's pair of grabs were "impressive" and that he "has gotten better every day."

Judging by his statement performance, it's clear that Baker isn't letting any negativity affect his rookie season.

Baker, 22, was selected 110th overall by the Patriots at the 2024 NFL Draft. Although his collegiate career began slowly during his time at Alabama, things took off after he transferred to the University of Central Florida ahead of the 2022 NCAA campaign, leading to 108 receptions for 1,935 yards and 12 touchdowns across the last two seasons.

Transitioning to the NFL isn't easy for first-year players, however, Baker won't be going through the process alone. Not only will he have support from the Patriots' veterans and coaching staff, but NESN's Keegan Stiefel indicates that Baker and fellow rookie WR Ja'Lynn Polk have become extremely close throughout OTAs.

The Patriots certainly wouldn't mind if Baker and Polk had productive rookie campaigns. The WR room was one of New England's weakest areas last season outside of Demario Douglas. A lot of that had to do with injuries, though, as the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and Kendrick Bourne all missed significant time.

Hopefully, the team's receivers — from the vets to the rookies — can enjoy a healthy and productive 2024 NFL season. The Patriots could certainly use it considering that they're currently heading into the new campaign with the second-worst Super Bowl LIX odds (+18000) on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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