FOXBORO, Mass. — Ja’Lynn Polk clearly paid attention during his Patriots media training, as the rookie receiver toed the company line throughout Thursday’s media availability. There were a pair of interesting answers, however.
Polk, a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, met with reporters following New England’s second training camp practice. He touched on a variety of topics, including the Patriots’ quarterback room and a sideline conversation with the franchise’s owner.
What Did Ja’Lynn Polk Say About the Patriots Quarterback Room?
Fans aren’t expecting much from Patriots quarterbacks. Not this season, anyway.
Jacoby Brissett, the projected starter, is a solid, dependable veteran, but his ceiling is low. And rookie Drake Maye might not even play this season despite being arguably the most talented QB taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nevertheless, Polk is very high on his quarterbacks.
“All those guys put in lots of work that nobody sees,” he told reporters. “All those quarterbacks do things that’s unordinary. They have things in their duffle bag that not many other people have.
” … I believe we got the best quarterback room out here.”
Polk obviously doesn’t believe the Patriots have the NFL’s best quarterback room. He was just making sure he didn’t say anything that could be viewed as critical of his new teammates.
The remark still raised eyebrows, though.
Polk Spoke With Robert Kraft on Day 2 of Training Camp
Patriots owner Robert Kraft attended the first two training camp practices. He showed up early in Wednesday’s practice but was a late arrival for Thursday’s session.
After speaking with Matthew Judon for a minute, Kraft walked down the sideline and met with multiple players, including Polk.
“Mr. Kraft is great, man,” Polk said when asked about the interaction. “He comes in here, he’s smiling every day. I love when he comes in here and I get to see his face. It’s all hugs, man. Every time I get to see him, I show my appreciation of giving me opportunities to come in here and play ball.”
Polk added: “I just let him know, man, I feel like my expectations for myself is very high. This organization, I just want to let everyone know that each and every day, every time I step out here, you’re going to get the best of me. I’m going to leave it all out there every single day.”
That wasn’t lip service from Polk, who’s played well in nearly every offseason practice open to reporters. It’s early, but the Washington product appears primed for a significant role in his rookie season.
PFN Analysis: Polk a Standout in Patriots Practices
Polk won’t blow away anyone, but he’s bigger and faster than advertised. While not a perfect comparison, he’s like a souped-up Jakobi Meyers, who’s a very good player.
Polk delivered arguably the best play from a receiver on Thursday, hauling in a deep pass from Maye on a sharp in-cut. The timing was perfect, and the play even caused Brissett to jump up and congratulate Maye. If you’re a Patriots fan, you’re hoping it was a small glimpse into the future.
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Again, Polk might not profile as a No. 1 boundary receiver. His ceiling might be that of a solid No. 2 — which is fine.
But just how productive can he be as a rookie?
Well, that remains to be seen. But Polk already is repping with the first-team offense, which says a lot about how Patriots coaches feel about him. He’s sure-handed, runs great routes, and is ultra-competitive. Those three traits alone could give Polk a relatively high ceiling in his first season.
Furthermore, the Patriots might be forced to lean on him. They need a reliable possession receiver with decent size, and Polk and JuJu Smith-Schuster are the only players who fit that description. With Smith-Schuster potentially set for a late-summer release, Polk could have a clear path toward a large target share.
With all that said, let’s see how Polk looks when the pads come on next week. But so far, so good.