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

[Force Zero Boomer]

That’s all I’m saying. You don’t draft prospects for what they are, you draft them for what they can be, and that takes time and a coaching staff that can develop them, I’m not saying that Wolf had a great draft, I’m saying that it’s way too early to know. And anyone who says they can judge an interior offensive lineman 8 games into their career is simply making **** up, as they don’t have the knowledge or ability to judge them.

Isn’t that what scouts and GMs get paid to do? They are supposed to have the knowledge and ability to judge players before they play a down for the team. Whether guys (including me) here can do it with accuracy is another matter. I recall that several here were very high on Polk after the draft and during OTAs, slaughtered me for questioning his athleticism, but now call him Slow Poke.

Polk is a good example, because a player with the right physical attributes can be coached up and mature. But Polk doesn’t have those physical attributes: he lacks speed, burst and suddenness. He can’t seem to separate at this level. I don’t know what can be done about that. But I guess we will see.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Isn’t that what scouts and GMs get paid to do? They are supposed to have the knowledge and ability to judge players before they play a down for the team. Whether guys (including me) here can do it with accuracy is another matter. I recall that several here were very high on Polk after the draft and during OTAs, slaughtered me for questioning his athleticism, but now call him Slow Poke.

Polk is a good example, because a player with the right physical attributes can be coached up and mature. But Polk doesn’t have those physical attributes: he lacks speed, burst and suddenness. He can’t seem to separate at this level. I don’t know what can be done about that. But I guess we will see.

The scouts aren’t the people giving up on the picks, the fans are, and you are right, we don’t have the understanding necessary to make that call. But imo you are wrong about Polk in OTA’s and camp. He was one of the standouts, and expectations were high coming into the season. IMO if he still isn’t contributing halfway through next season then people can start the conversation about whether he’s a bust or not, but he played with Brissett the 1st half of the year, and ended up losing confidence in himself. So we’ll see how it turns out. He could be a bust, and he could turn it around. And in a year or two we can judge whether they were bad picks, or whether the coaching staff can or cannot develop players, or if it’s Wolf’s fault for picking bad players. But the jump from college to pro is huge, and calling kids busts halfway through their first year is the real hyperbole.

 

[Huckleberry1]

It really doesn’t matter who they bring in for coach or GM, because they only get 8 months to win or else. So if they don’t win the Super Bowl in their first 8 minths just fire them and get new ones. That’s how all the successful franchises, like the Jets, do it.

 

[50-yard-line]

Shanahan’s offense puts him in positions to make plays. He’s not a guy that can go straight up with a defender and beat him. He had 1,400 yards one season, but the rest has been pedestrian. His kamikaze style wore him down quickly and he’s been playing like a 40 year old for a few years now. He’s always banged up and unreliable.

Bro’s a gimmick.

He's had 1 year where he's played in less than 13 games, with 15 last year and 13 of 14 this year.

Agree to disagree.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

It really doesn’t matter who they bring in for coach or GM, because they only get 8 months to win or else. So if they don’t win the Super Bowl in their first 8 minths just fire them and get new ones. That’s how all the successful franchises, like the Jets, do it.

You want to keep the current staff? Every player got worse and except maye no players has developed into any contributor

 

[Boston Boxer]

Same thing that’s now being said about Polk, can’t grasp the system.

Damn, and i thought they playbook was drastically easier when BB left. AVP just needs to draw up plays in the sand. I really didn't think he was running an overly complicated system. Hopefully they get it together and are ready for next year.

 

[Huckleberry1]

You want to keep the current staff? Every player got worse and except maye no players has developed into any contributor

I want to keep Wolf.

I dont like the idea of changing coaches after 1 season, but unfortunately Mayo hasn’t met even the lowest of expectations this season, so I’m fine with them moving on as long as they hire a coach who they will stick with for at least the next 5 years. Hiring and firing coaches every year or two is the hallmark of the worst franchises in every sport. Look hard and long for the best person for the job, then give them the time and tools to turn them into a yearly contender.

I am completely opposed to getting rid of Wolf. He inherited a coach and staff Kraft hired, and Belichick’s ****ty team. Last years free agency was a joke, and he was wise to spend their money keeping their key players, then he got their franchise QB in his first draft. Like Belichick he’s been immersed in football from the time he was a little kid, in his case pro football. He’s a young GM who needs to be given the time, the control, and the resources to do his job properly. If he is I believe he will succeed, and I believe that giving him 8 months to turn them around is the most idiotic thing possible. Great teams are put together over a number of years, and that’s how the best teams in football right now, the Chiefs and Lions were built, by smart moves over a number of years, not overnight, and I think listening to the fans is the worst thing the Kraft’s can do.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

It really doesn’t matter who they bring in for coach or GM, because they only get 8 months to win or else. So if they don’t win the Super Bowl in their first 8 minths just fire them and get new ones. That’s how all the successful franchises, like the Jets, do it.

The "we didn't even give him a chance" argument does not apply when a coach demonstrates gross incompetence during his tenure. Mayo is clearly overmatched, and worse, his tendency to blame others first and then claim accountability is a fatal flaw. I was a high level executive at an e-commerce company for years. This Mayo situation is like hiring a promising (I'm being generous to Mayo) 22 year old fresh out of school, who is qualified to be Software Engineer I, and making them CTO. It's like taking someone who has just learned how to swim and expecting them to compete for Olympic gold. It's absurd, indefensible, and if competent ownership had taken over the Patriots before the start of the season (let's say the Kraft Family jet crashed), Mayo would have fired before a single down was played.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The scouts aren’t the people giving up on the picks, the fans are, and you are right, we don’t have the understanding necessary to make that call. But imo you are wrong about Polk in OTA’s and camp. He was one of the standouts, and expectations were high coming into the season. IMO if he still isn’t contributing halfway through next season then people can start the conversation about whether he’s a bust or not, but he played with Brissett the 1st half of the year, and ended up losing confidence in himself. So we’ll see how it turns out. He could be a bust, and he could turn it around. And in a year or two we can judge whether they were bad picks, or whether the coaching staff can or cannot develop players, or if it’s Wolf’s fault for picking bad players. But the jump from college to pro is huge, and calling kids busts halfway through their first year is the real hyperbole.

Polk did look good in camp. Lost in the regular season though.

But that's a big problem, the Patriots have had plenty of guys look good in camp and then wash out.

What counts is when the pads are on for the paid games that mean something.

Is it too early to count out Polk, maybe. But it's not looking good either. We have had too many busts and he is looking like one of those right now.

Maybe once the game 'slows down' for him he will get better, but it just never clicks for some guys. See N'Keal Harry, Tyquan Thornton, etc.

Our run of awful 1st and 2nd round busts at WR seems to have continued.

The most frustrating part is you see the guy we passed on, Ladd Mcconkey have an excellent season, over 870 receiving yards and 5 TDs already as a rookie.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The "we didn't even give him a chance" argument does not apply when a coach demonstrates gross incompetence during his tenure. Mayo is clearly overmatched, and worse, his tendency to blame others first and then claim accountability is a fatal flaw. I was a high level executive at an e-commerce company for years. This Mayo situation is like hiring a promising (I'm being generous to Mayo) 22 year old fresh out of school, who is qualified to be Software Engineer I, and making them CTO. It's like taking someone who has just learned how to swim and expecting them to compete for Olympic gold. It's absurd, indefensible, and if competent ownership had taken over the Patriots before the start of the season (let's say the Kraft Family jet crashed), Mayo would have fired before a single down was played.

As I Have said numerous times, even in this thread, I don’t like the idea of changing coaches year in year out, but Mayo hasn’t even even achieved the lowest bar this season, so I am fine with moving on from him as long as they do a real search for a guy who they will stick with for at least 5 years. And they need to maintain a west coast offense, or variant of it.

 

[PF_SU]

Is it too early to count out Polk, maybe. But it's not looking good either. We have had too many busts and he is looking like one of those right now.

It's mind-boggling to see that Polk currently is on track to surpass all of the R1/R2 WR busts drafted in the Belichick era that produced little to nothing in their rookie season and then quickly washed out in terms of lack of production in their first season:

Polk (2024/37): 13 games played, 32 targets, 12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs
Thornton (2022/50): 13 games played, 45 targets, 22 catches, 247 yards, 2 TDs
Harry (2019/32): 7 games played, 24 targets, 12 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs (spent half the season on IR)
Dobson (2013/59): 12 games played, 72 targets, 37 catches, 519 yards, 4 TDs
Jackson (2006/36): 12 games played, 19 targets, 13 catches, 152 yards, 3 TDs
Johnson (2003/45): 15 games played, 34 targets, 16 catches, 209 yards, 2 TDs

Without a turnaround miracle it's hard to see him becoming even a serviceable WR.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

you can fix medicals but cant fix stoopid

Sure you can. It’s called the unemployment line.

 

[Dec54]

You heard it here first. Yes I know it is hard to believe, but I predict a break out year for Mr Polk next season.

 

[PatsFan2]

It's mind-boggling to see that Polk currently is on track to surpass all of the R1/R2 WR busts drafted in the Belichick era that produced little to nothing in their rookie season and then quickly washed out in terms of lack of production in their first season:

Polk (2024/37): 13 games played, 32 targets, 12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs
Thornton (2022/50): 13 games played, 45 targets, 22 catches, 247 yards, 2 TDs
Harry (2019/32): 7 games played, 24 targets, 12 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs (spent half the season on IR)
Dobson (2013/59): 12 games played, 72 targets, 37 catches, 519 yards, 4 TDs
Jackson (2006/36): 12 games played, 19 targets, 13 catches, 152 yards, 3 TDs
Johnson (2003/45): 15 games played, 34 targets, 16 catches, 209 yards, 2 TDs

Without a turnaround miracle it's hard to see him becoming even a serviceable WR.

Polk have 87yds for like 10 weeks the writing is on the wall he's another Bust WR. Even his college Teammate taken in the Third Round have more yards than him what an Embarrassment.

Jalen McMillan 2025 Stats per Game - NFL - ESPN

The 2025 NFL season stats per game for Jalen McMillan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

 

[PatsFan2]

Patriots’ third down struggles limit offensive opportunities vs. Cardinals

Notes and thoughts on the Patriots’ snap counts from their 30-17 loss to the Cardinals.

www.patspulpit.com

Polk is getting over 20 snaps a game and have 2 catches in 7 games for (((Drum roll))) count it 9 measly yards.

 

[mgteich]

Wasn't Polk drafted on the personal recommendation of the WR coach? If so, isn't that a firing offense?
========

 

[mgteich]

It's mind-boggling to see that Polk currently is on track to surpass all of the R1/R2 WR busts drafted in the Belichick era that produced little to nothing in their rookie season and then quickly washed out in terms of lack of production in their first season:

Polk (2024/37): 13 games played, 32 targets, 12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs
Thornton (2022/50): 13 games played, 45 targets, 22 catches, 247 yards, 2 TDs
Harry (2019/32): 7 games played, 24 targets, 12 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs (spent half the season on IR)
Dobson (2013/59): 12 games played, 72 targets, 37 catches, 519 yards, 4 TDs
Jackson (2006/36): 12 games played, 19 targets, 13 catches, 152 yards, 3 TDs
Johnson (2003/45): 15 games played, 34 targets, 16 catches, 209 yards, 2 TDs

Without a turnaround miracle it's hard to see him becoming even a serviceable WR.

There have been lots and lots of serviceable WR's with very poor rookie years. I could see Polk as a #4 WR.

On the other hand, Baker may be truly a lost cause.

 

[Family]

The scouts aren’t the people giving up on the picks, the fans are, and you are right, we don’t have the understanding necessary to make that call. But imo you are wrong about Polk in OTA’s and camp. He was one of the standouts, and expectations were high coming into the season. IMO if he still isn’t contributing halfway through next season then people can start the conversation about whether he’s a bust or not, but he played with Brissett the 1st half of the year, and ended up losing confidence in himself. So we’ll see how it turns out. He could be a bust, and he could turn it around. And in a year or two we can judge whether they were bad picks, or whether the coaching staff can or cannot develop players, or if it’s Wolf’s fault for picking bad players. But the jump from college to pro is huge, and calling kids busts halfway through their first year is the real hyperbole.

Bedard doesn't need another half season to see what is obvious to everyone.

"Ja'Lynn Polk is completely lost. The slow speed in which he runs his routes makes it look like he's running in a different offense. Maye's already made a decision like 3 seconds earlier. Whatever the coaches are telling him is just not getting through. They might have to entertain moving on from him after the season. It's that bad."

 

[Nunchucks]

I am somebody who always preaches patience, we dont know what the team knows. However Ladd was there, how was such a monumental faulk up possible? Somebody needs to be fired!

 

[Huckleberry1]

Bedard doesn't need another half season to see what is obvious to everyone.

"Ja'Lynn Polk is completely lost. The slow speed in which he runs his routes makes it look like he's running in a different offense. Maye's already made a decision like 3 seconds earlier. Whatever the coaches are telling him is just not getting through. They might have to entertain moving on from him after the season. It's that bad."

Why would I give one **** what Greg Bedard thinks? Boston sports media is garbage. They are a bunch of douchebags looking for clicks.