The competition at wide receiver has been one of the most heated for the Patriots this offseason, as they went into training camp with 12 players signed. Although that has fluctuated over the past few weeks, one thing has remained the same: most of those in most need of standout performances to secure a spot on the team are still at the bottom of the totem pole heading into the preseason finale.
The leading name that continues to be discussed as the likeliest roster cut is second-year player Ja'Lynn Polk, whom the Patriots drafted in the second round last year. Because their offense needed some major upgrading, there was a belief that the Washington star would be exactly what Drake Maye needed to elevate his game.
However, that never came to be, and Polk had a rough first season in the NFL. Not much has changed this summer since he began training camp sidelined with an injury and is now dealing with something else.
It seems inevitable that he won't make the 2025 roster, and if the Patriots could potentially trade him for some sort of return, that would be ideal. Fortunately, it looks like there could be a team that might be in the mix, hoping to reunite a superstar quarterback-wide receiver duo from their college days.
There might be an under-the-radar team willing to trade for Ja'Lynn Polk
If there is some sort of understanding within the Patriots that perhaps a change of scenery for Polk would put him on a better path to succeed in the NFL, then there might be reason to believe they would be willing to trade him to a team that would give him that chance.
That team could very easily be the Atlanta Falcons, where Polk's former quarterback from his days at the University of Washington, Michael Penix Jr., is now the starter. Because they worked so well together and it's clearly what made New England believe the receiver was worthy of a second-round pick, it could be exactly what Polk needs to prove he can be a competent player in the NFL.
Looking at the Falcons' current wide receiver roster, they could certainly use another option for the second-year quarterback to work with. Considering he has already built chemistry and trust with Polk, he could easily slide into their starting lineup like no time has passed.
That would be the best-case scenario for Polk and the Patriots, as he would have a second chance at making an NFL career, while the team would be compensated for a failed draft pick rather than cutting him for nothing.
They wouldn't get a whole lot for the trade, maybe a sixth-round pick at the highest. But adding more draft capital is never a bad idea, especially for a team wanting to build its roster through the upcoming classes.