FOXBORO — One week into training camp, Ja’Lynn Polk is persistently keeping a positive mindset when there’s a lot that could drag the young Patriots wide receiver down.
The Patriots added six wide receivers to an already crowded room, and Polk, coming off of a historically inefficient season, missed the first four days of training camp with a soft tissue injury.
Polk returned to practice Monday in time for the first day of pads and scored a touchdown in his first session.
“It’s happy. I’m happy. I’m really, really happy,” Polk said. “Excited to be back out there, running routes, being physical. It’s fun.”
Polk wouldn’t even say that it was frustrating to spend the first four practices of training camp rehabbing an injury when he should have been on the field competing for a roster spot.
The 2024 second-round pick passed his initial physical, so he didn’t land on the physically unable to perform or non-football injury list, but suffered his injury before the first day of camp.
“It wasn’t frustrating at all,” Polk said. “I was just going through the process and getting ready for my opportunities when I got out there.”
Head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday that Polk worked “extremely hard” in his rehab and that he didn’t notice any mental errors despite the 6-foot-1, 203-pound wide receiver missing time.
Polk is the first wide receiver since Pro Football Reference started tracking all of these stats in 1992 with more than 25 targets, less than 100 yards, less than 7.5 yards per reception and less than a 37% catch rate. In all, Polk caught 12 passes on 33 targets for 87 yards with two touchdowns in 15 games with seven starts.
The odds were stacked against Polk last season in an anemic offense with an inexperienced wide receivers coach, but other young pass catchers on the roster, like DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, still outproduced the University of Washington product.
Polk said Wednesday that he came into the 2025 season with a “new focus, a reset,” but when asked about that new focus, he didn’t elaborate.
“I mean, everything’s pretty much the same,” Polk said. “Working hard each and every day, trying to earn a role, go out there and play for the team.”
Polk said he doesn’t “even think about last year” when asked about his struggles as a rookie.
He seems confident in his effort and preparation last season.
“I mean, I don’t go off the narrative of what people think of me,” Polk said. “I know who I am, and I know the work that I put in each and every day to go out there and help this team win. So I’m gonna keep working hard each and every day, you know? I’m gonna keep dying going into my preparation and applying it out there on the field. So, yeah, that’s what I’m going to keep doing.”
Polk was asked what he believes will be different about his game this season.
“I don’t really think nothing really different,” Polk said. “You know, I just got my foot in the water that first year. So now you know, when I get the opportunity to get going, we’re gonna make it happen.”
The way the depth chart currently appears to be constructed, Polk looks like he would be on the outside looking in if the Patriots keep just six wide receivers. Stefon Diggs, Boutte and Douglas are running with the first team, rookie Kyle Williams, a third-round pick, and veteran Mack Hollins are locks, and Kendrick Bourne is regularly seeing first- and second-team reps.
That leaves Polk, fellow second-year pros Javon Baker and John Jiles, and undrafted wide receivers Efton Chism and Jeremiah Webb battling for spots. The Patriots could elect to keep a seventh wide receiver, or Bourne could potentially be beat out for a roster spot.
Polk isn’t focused on battling for a spot on the 53-man roster right now.
“No, I think I’m in a fight with myself,” Polk said. “You know, I’m competing with myself each and every day, trying to be better than I was yesterday. So as long as I got that mindset, I’m gonna be great.”
Time will tell if the approach will work out. Since Polk was a second-round pick just one year ago, it seems likely that another team would trade for him if he’s not among the Patriots’ top six wide receivers. He also could begin to stand out over the final month-plus of training camp to earn a spot on the roster or even as a starter.
