After the initial roster was announced on Tuesday afternoon, there were a lot of questions surrounding the Patriots' plan for their wide receiver room. There was some thought they would keep up to seven pass catchers for Drake Maye to work with, but seeing them keep eight was shocking, even if Josh McDaniels has done that in the past.
It made it easy to guess what their next moves would be, presumably moving on from at least one of the receivers they kept. The hope among fans was that someone like Kendrick Bourne would be traded, as he had the most potential to be inquired about. However, instead, he requested his release, which the Patriots granted, reportedly after a trade to the Vikings fell through.
After their waiver claims were announced, it meant Mike Vrabel and Co. needed to make one more cut. Because a receiver had already been released, it didn't seem like that would be their next decision.
However, unsurprisingly, ESPN's Mike Reiss announced they were moving on from second-year receiver Javon Baker, despite his rise on special teams, and hope to bring him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
The Patriots are planning to release WR Javon Baker, per a source.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 27, 2025
If Baker clears waivers, he could return on the practice squad.
Javon Baker had long been considered a roster cut even before the 2025 offseason
Although he was considered an explosive option coming out of college, Baker never clicked with the Patriots during his rookie season. A lot of that was chalked up to a weak coaching staff, led by Jerod Mayo, especially since fellow 2024 draftee Ja'Lynn Polk also struggled to get acclimated.
Coming into this offseason, every player received a clean slate, but Baker took a while to begin shining at training camp.
Once he did, it wasn't as a receiver in Josh McDaniels' offense but instead with special teams as a returner. It felt like a good fit for him and a role that he could take over for the immediate future, as the Patriots have continuously tried out different players in that spot over the years.
His preseason performances suggested that he would remain with the team after roster cuts, only for him to be cut a day later. That explains his social media activity that created headlines across New England on Monday. If he clears waivers, it wouldn't be shocking for him to decline the practice squad invitation.
There's a good chance that a change of scenery is what he needs to thrive. Although his chances of making a 53-man roster elsewhere in the league at this point are slim, he might be able to sign with a practice squad that gives him a better chance to eventually make the official team.