Ja'Lynn Polk is keeping receipts of Patriots doubters ahead of 2024 season

By this point in the offseason, nearly every media outlet has made their opinion of the Patriots very clear, most of whom believe they will be a bottom-of-the-barrel team this upcoming season.

Much of that stems from the departure of Bill Belichick, which means an entirely new staff will be on the sideline, and the developing offensive roster from new quarterbacks to a shaky offensive line.

Because of all the significant changes the team has undergone over the last several months, they're not expected to be competitive this year or even next, prompting many analysts to predict they'll have an even worse record than they did in 2023.

But the players aren't feeling that way and have repeatedly shared their belief in the direction they're going at training camp. And some are even keeping records of what is being said and who is saying it, intending to use it to prove the critics wrong this fall.

Ja'Lynn Polk is ready to use the words of doubters as motivation during his rookie season

That is something that rookie receiver Ja'Lynn Polk has decided to do so early in his Patriots tenure, which he shared with reporters after a training camp practice.

Mike Reiss of ESPN referred to the chip on his shoulder, which Javon Baker also holds, as "a Rodney Harrison-type approach of acknowledging the doubters," which is exactly what Polk described regarding keeping track of what has been said about the team thus far.

"I keep notes on everything. I see all the stuff they put out there about us. If you're not with us right now, when it's all said and done, don't get on the train."

This is certainly a different approach than what was historically happening behind the scenes during the Bill Belichick era, who infamously told the players to "ignore the noise."

While that is smart advice, it's also nearly impossible to do during the social media era, and with Polk being of the age that grew up with all of it, it would be even more difficult for him to shut it all out.

So, instead, using it as motivation to prove the doubters wrong is smart if utilized correctly. Presumably, this means he thrives off the criticism, hence why he has decided to keep notes of what's being said. But it can be harmful to some who can't handle the negativity.

This approach seems to be shared among the Patriots offensive players, as DeMario Douglas has also voiced his displeasure with how the media are discussing the team. Perhaps this will become a part of the Jerod Mayo era and use what's being said as bulletin board material for the seasons ahead.

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