Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots have decided to pull the plug on the Ja’Lynn Polk era. The 2024 second-round draft pick was traded to the New Orleans Saints in a late-round pick exchange: the Patriots are getting a 2027 sixth-rounder for Polk and a 2028 seventh-round selection.
Let’s grade the move.
Bernd Buchmasser: Polk spending the year on injured reserve seemed like a blessing in disguise; an ability to keep him around in a redshirt capacity and get him ready for 2026. It looks like the team had no interest in doing that, and instead decided to part ways with him for minimal assets. A split seemed like the best outcome for both sides, but this still feels awfully early to give up on the former second-rounder. | Grade: D+
Brian Hines: With the emergence of Kayshon Boutte and additions of Kyle Williams and Efton Chism, the Patriots had several younger options over Polk on the depth chart even if he was healthy. It seemed best for both sides to move on and for New England to recoup the minimal draft capital they could. | Grade: C
Oliver Thomas: Had Ja’Lynn Polk not sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in August, he likely would’ve been on the outside looking in come September. That’s the difficult reality for both the Patriots and the former No. 37 overall pick. The odds of making the roster would’ve been even longer if back for the voluntary workout program next spring. The wide receiver room has left the station. And so has a stay that brought 12 catches. Swapping late-round capital in the 2027 and 2028 drafts for a player on injured reserve reflects more than the trade itself. | Grade: D+
The Patriots trading Polk is unusual, not because he is only in his second season as a pro but because he currently was not on the team’s active roster: the 23-year-old suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in preseason, and was traded to the Saints from New England’s injured reserve list.
Now it’s your turn. What do you think about the trade? Do you like it? Do you not? Please head to the comment section to discuss.
