For most of this past offseason, the Patriots were in the unique position of having an overflowing roster of wide receivers and crucial decisions to make regarding what the future of the offense would look like for Drake Maye. Early on, it seemed apparent regarding who would make the team and who needed a standout training camp to make the cut, two of the most vulnerable being last year's draft picks, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
Although the Jerod Mayo regime had the right intention of selecting positions of need during the draft, the wide receiver duo had an underwhelming rookie season and were far from secure in their roles with the Patriots for the 2025 season.