Total Pro Sports
Ja’Lynn Polk will have to hope to come back stronger in 2026, as his 2025 season is already over.
Polk’s redemption story won’t be authored in 2025.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the embattled Patriots receiver will miss all of this season due to a shoulder injury he suffered during New England’s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Patriots WR Ja'Lynn Polk will miss the entire 2025 season due to a shoulder injury that requires surgery, per @Schultz_Report pic.twitter.com/wO2chH4oy0
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 21, 2025
The Patriots, who have been the subject of a trade proposal that would land them TJ Watt before he got his deal, will now have to find somebody else to replace the young wideout.
The New England Patriots’ second-year wide receiver injured his shoulder in training camp and saw multiple specialists to get varying opinions on his ailing shoulder. However, the best course of action has been deemed surgery so that Polk can return ready to go in 2026.
This brutal news comes weeks after the Patriots lost second-year cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. to a torn ACL.
With one preseason game remaining, New England’s wide receiver depth chart continues to be led by Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and Kyle Williams.
Ja’Lynn Polk’s sophomore season has ended before it could even start.
After re-injuring the same shoulder that required offseason surgery in the New England Patriots’ preseason opener, Polk is set to undergo another surgery.
Per a report from Jordan Schultz, Polk will “miss the entire 2025 season” following surgery to repair a shoulder injury.
Polk injured his right shoulder in Week 17 of last season when he attempted to make a diving catch. His offseason surgery already forced him to miss the first week of training camp.
Drafted in the second round (37th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, Polk’s rookie year looked promising as he appeared in 15 games and posted just 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
By the time he returns to full strength in 2026, Polk will have two years remaining on his rookie contract. At that point, his Patriots’ future will presumably be again unclear.
