Ja’Lynn Polk made it clear over the offseason he planned on trying to prove his doubters wrong heading into 2025, with the former Washington standout looking for a little redemption after a disappointing rookie season.
Unfortunately, it looks like he’ll have to come back and try again in 2026.
According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, Polk is set to undergo surgery on the shoulder he injured against Washington, which will now sideline him for this upcoming season.
The injury occurred as Polk was being used on a sweep out to the edge, with the second-year wideout extending his arm to try and stiff arm the defender. Unfortunately, Polk got pulled down and his arm got caught underneath, with the receiver in clear pain as he headed to the sideline.
Polk went into the medical tent and then into the locker room, and his status has been in doubt ever since.
Schultz reports that Polk saw multiple specialists, but surgery was ultimately determined ‘to be the best course of action.’ The shoulder he injured was the same one he injured last season, which likely has him pretty frustrated, given the rehab he already went through this past offseason.
For now, the Patriots were already facing some difficult decisions at that position, with the former second-round pick expected to potentially be among them. Instead, he’s likely headed to injured reserve, which buys him another year while also opening the door for someone else to stick.
The current wide receiver group is expected to include Stefon Diggs, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and rookie Kyle Williams, with Efton Chism, Kendrick Bourne, and Javon Baker among guys looking to snag a spot at the bottom of what remains a competitive depth chart heading into tonight’s preseason finale against the Giants.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
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