Finally: an explanation for Ja'Lynn Polk's putrid rookie season

[Force Zero Boomer]

“Team sources believe Polk is struggling mentally with mistakes and that he’s hard on himself, so the issues are compounding," wrote Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald.

I'm having a hard time taking the Patriots' "brain trust" seriously. This guy has been running his mouth in the opposite direction of that quote every chance he gets. Mr. Best-Hands-In-The-NFL says he's going to turn things around into a "legendary story" at the same time this report comes out.

Bottom line: they drafted a head case at WR (two, counting Baker) with average to below average physical traits. He's literally the worst receiver in the NFL.

 

[TheRainMaker]

We've heard this before from the media and it's a major red flag.

Almost every WR that was a future bust with the Pats had "trouble with the playbook" or "struggling mentally".

They should do what too many other teams have been doing lately and cutting ties extremely early with high round picks. The quality of NFL talent has really gone to ****. Let's appreciate the era the Pats won Super Bowls in.

 

[maust]

A WR with a 5¢ head? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

We've heard this before from the media and it's a major red flag.

Almost every WR that was a future bust with the Pats had "trouble with the playbook" or "struggling mentally".

They should do what too many other teams have been doing lately and cutting ties extremely early with high round picks. The quality of NFL talent has really gone to ****. Let's appreciate the era the Pats won Super Bowls in.

Maybe BB was on to something when he would look for character and football intelligence in potential draftees. Obviously he had some big misses with that approach and seemed incapable of evaluating WRs, for example, but overall that seems like a good strategy.

 

[Ross12]

We've heard this before from the media and it's a major red flag.

Almost every WR that was a future bust with the Pats had "trouble with the playbook" or "struggling mentally".

They should do what too many other teams have been doing lately and cutting ties extremely early with high round picks. The quality of NFL talent has really gone to ****. Let's appreciate the era the Pats won Super Bowls in.

I would definitely give Polk one more season but if he isn’t showing he can at least be a decent 4th WR by next year, he’s cut going into year 3. I’m going to guess they will have some kind of WR1 (Higgins or otherwise) next year, Douglas is your slot guy, so you really need a WR2 and a couple of capable backups. Bourne will likely be one of the capable reserves so Polk needs to either be the WR2 or the other reserve and he will be competing with Boutte, Baker and anyone else they bring on.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

A WR with a 5¢ head? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you

Problem is we drafted WRs with 5¢ physical traits AND heads.

 

[Ross12]

Problem is we drafted WRs with 5¢ physical traits AND heads.

The honest truth is that Wolf just screwed up. He was trying to trade up for Xavier Worthy, Xavier Legette or Keon Coleman. There was tons of movement ahead of them in the late 20s with Buffalo trading down with KC (they took Worthy) and then again with Carolina (they took Legette). Then Buffalo themselves took Coleman. So the Pats were left without options and traded down and took a bigger dice roll on Polk. They could’ve taken McConkey but seemed to not want to due to medicals. So far that also looks like a mistake. Wolf was too green and mishandled things.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Problem is we drafted WRs with 5¢ physical traits AND heads.

5 cents will get you a Jolly Rancher
You are giving them way too much credit

 

[Ray Ray 717]

“Team sources believe Polk is struggling mentally with mistakes and that he’s hard on himself, so the issues are compounding," wrote Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald.

I'm having a hard time taking the Patriots' "brain trust" seriously. This guy has been running his mouth in the opposite direction of that quote every chance he gets. Mr. Best-Hands-In-The-NFL says he's going to turn things around into a "legendary story" at the same time this report comes out.

Bottom line: they drafted a head case at WR (two, counting Baker) with average to below average physical traits. He's literally the worst receiver in the NFL.

He’s struggling mentally because his biggest weaknesses in college are resonating in the nfl

Lack of separation and lack of quick twitch speed

 

[h0c2000]

So he's a head case and a crappy receiver. That makes sense.

 

[Ray Ray 717]

The honest truth is that Wolf just screwed up. He was trying to trade up for Xavier Worthy, Xavier Legette or Keon Coleman. There was tons of movement ahead of them in the late 20s with Buffalo trading down with KC (they took Worthy) and then again with Carolina (they took Legette). Then Buffalo themselves took Coleman. So the Pats were left without options and traded down and took a bigger dice roll on Polk. They could’ve taken McConkey but seemed to not want to due to medicals. So far that also looks like a mistake. Wolf was too green and mishandled things.

Yikes, thanks for that report

FIRE Wolf

 

[mgcolby]

“Team sources believe Polk is struggling mentally with mistakes and that he’s hard on himself, so the issues are compounding," wrote Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald.

I'm having a hard time taking the Patriots' "brain trust" seriously. This guy has been running his mouth in the opposite direction of that quote every chance he gets. Mr. Best-Hands-In-The-NFL says he's going to turn things around into a "legendary story" at the same time this report comes out.

Bottom line: they drafted a head case at WR (two, counting Baker) with average to below average physical traits. He's literally the worst receiver in the NFL.

We need a pathetic emoji. That best sums up this situation.

 

[JohnJH]

I would definitely give Polk one more season but if he isn’t showing he can at least be a decent 4th WR by next year, he’s cut going into year 3. I’m going to guess they will have some kind of WR1 (Higgins or otherwise) next year, Douglas is your slot guy, so you really need a WR2 and a couple of capable backups. Bourne will likely be one of the capable reserves so Polk needs to either be the WR2 or the other reserve and he will be competing with Boutte, Baker and anyone else they bring on.

In his scouting report, it was stated that he had concentration issues and mental lapses. That he also needed to do a better job of dealing with more than one defender on him. His route running also needed to be more refined. It also stated that he needed proper coaching and was basically a project with decent upside, but could be a legit #2 if he overcame his shortcomings. I guess these are the things that we're seeing, and more.

 

[JohnJH]

The honest truth is that Wolf just screwed up. He was trying to trade up for Xavier Worthy, Xavier Legette or Keon Coleman. There was tons of movement ahead of them in the late 20s with Buffalo trading down with KC (they took Worthy) and then again with Carolina (they took Legette). Then Buffalo themselves took Coleman. So the Pats were left without options and traded down and took a bigger dice roll on Polk. They could’ve taken McConkey but seemed to not want to due to medicals. So far that also looks like a mistake. Wolf was too green and mishandled things.

Considering how little they yielded from their 4th round picks and after, Wolf still could have moved up by packaging those picks that have been worthless so far for Leggette (who I wanted, as I believed him to be closer to A.J. Brown). Basically, Wolf could have pulled it off, but didn't try hard enough. And now, except for Maye, we have a bunch of picks used on players that will probably be useless to this team.

 

[hornetfb85]

If I jacked up as much as he has, and am seeing my career go in the crapper I’d be struggling as well. Hope he figures it out because we could sure use a #2 WR

 

[mgteich]

Considering how little they yielded from their 4th round picks and after, Wolf still could have moved up by packaging those picks that have been worthless so far for Leggette (who I wanted, as I believed him to be closer to A.J. Brown). Basically, Wolf could have pulled it off, but didn't try hard enough. And now, except for Maye, we have a bunch of picks used on players that will probably be useless to this team.

Yup, as we have been told many times, Wolf just didn't try enough and one of our posters would have been able to trade up for a quality receiver.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Harry part 2!
If we draft McMillan then harry part 3!

 

[patman12]

Maybe this is the NE WR who really does have the yips.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Yup, as we have been told many times, Wolf just didn't try enough and one of our posters would have been able to trade up for a quality receiver.

What's your explanation? You are standing behind the pick? Draft is a crapshoot? I knew he was a bust during OTAs when Juju coming off an injury made Polk look like he had concrete shoes. He is not an NFL tier athlete, knucklehead aside (his ridiculous ego just makes it worse).

 

[festy1986]

I thought he was showing ok promise the first month or so. Making some nice catches, just needing to work on where he was placing his feet.

But he's fallen so far from that painfully low bar that it may be unrecoverable.