Patriots
Polk was a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2024.
The 2025 NFL regular season hasn’t even started yet, and already the Patriots appear to be down a wide receiver.
Ja’Lynn Polk, 23, is set to have shoulder surgery that will end his season before it has really gotten underway, according to multiple reports. NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to report the story.
Polk appeared to have suffered the injury in New England’s first preseason game, a 48-18 win against the Commanders on Aug. 8 during an attempted jet sweep in the first half. He proceeded immediately to the blue medical tent after the play, and eventually walked back to the locker room.
This comes after Polk had shoulder surgery in March, forcing him to miss offseason workouts. He was also absent for part of training camp in July due to a soft tissue injury.
Originally a second-round pick by the Patriots in 2024, Polk has so far failed to make a strong impression at the NFL level. He totaled just 12 catches for 87 yards (with two touchdowns) as a rookie a season ago.
Entering 2025, Polk told reporters he was enthused about making a “reset” and making strides alongside second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Now, it appears he will have to wait much longer to try and become a more consistent contributor.
The Patriots still have plenty of options at wide receiver, even with Polk out. Heading into the final preseason game (against the Giants) on Thursday, New England held 12 wide receivers on its roster (including Polk), with the belief that only about half of the group would be kept on the eventual Opening Day squad.
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