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4 hours ago
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The New England Patriots, on paper, already appear to have a significantly better roster than they did last season. The front office has rebuilt both sides of the ball upfront and added a few new weapons around quarterback Drake Maye. The headline addition on the outside in free agency is star wideout Stefon Diggs.
The Patriots are hoping the four-time Pro Bowler can regain his elite form after an injury-ridden season with the Houston Texans. The franchise is sure to add more players to the receiving core during the upcoming NFL Draft, and with those additions, some current roster players might find themselves looking for a new team soon.
According to Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran, one of those players who could be cut is 2024 second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk. The former Washington standout struggled heavily in his rookie year on a roster that was void of game-changing wideouts. Curran believes that if Polk continues to trend in the wrong direction, the Patriots will likely move on from the 23-year-old.
“The 37th overall pick last year was quite possibly the worst wideout in football last year,” Curran argues. “He had 10 catches on 27 targets for 78 yards when The Athletic suggested in November that he looked like a bust. From there, Polk went on to catch two more balls. He was thrown six. He gained nine yards.
Polk was actually useful in training camp. He looked like he could play. He carried himself like he could play. He couldn’t play. It’s hard to cut a second-rounder after one season. But it’s not impossible.”
Despite Curran’s take, Polk still can redeem himself and has the upside to be a quality wideout in the NFL. But the Lufkin, Texas native is going to have to scratch and claw for his spot over training camp.
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The Patriots are likely going to add several players who are just as talented as Polk to their roster over the next few months. The young wideout is already facing a sink-or-swim moment just a year into his career.
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Dylan is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a contributing journalist who has covered a range of topics in his career, including local politics in the DMV region to live sporting events. A graduate of Georgetown University, Dylan is also currently working as an associate editor at ClutchPoints, where he has provided coverage for the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and college football/basketball.
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