Patriots move on from Ja’Lynn Polk, reportedly trading him to Saints

One other participant from the Patriots’ 2024 draft class is out of Foxborough.

The Patriots have traded large receiver Ja’Lynn Polk to the Saints, The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported Saturday. New England will reportedly obtain a 2027 sixth-round choose within the deal, however can even hand over a 2028 seventh-round choice.

Polk struggled to supply as a rookie after the Patriots took him within the second spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 37 general). He solely had 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns final season, making a handful of expensive drops and miscues all through the 2024 marketing campaign.

On high of the poor efficiency, Polk seemingly made issues extra difficult for himself with a few of the feedback he made all through the season. He proclaimed that he had the best hands in the league at one point last season. After Jerod Mayo referred to as Polk out following the Patriots’ loss to the Jaguars, Polk made a cryptic social media publish that some interpreted as him wanting to depart the group.

Polk in the end remained with the group by means of the offseason, however he was believed to be a reduce candidate coming into coaching camp. He wound up struggling a shoulder harm within the preseason opener, although, and was positioned on injured reserve shortly after, ending his 2025 season.

Whereas Polk wouldn’t have contributed to the Patriots in 2025, the group might’ve saved him for the 2026 season. He nonetheless has two seasons remaining on his rookie contract. Nevertheless, the Patriots have six receivers below contract for subsequent season already, and Polk was already lagging behind the large receivers who made the roster this 12 months.

With Saturday’s commerce, solely two gamers from the Patriots’ 2024 draft class stay. Drake Maye, who the group took with the third general choose, isn’t going anyplace, however third-round choose Caedan Wallace was on the roster bubble forward of cutdown day. Wallace was a wholesome scratch for the Patriots’ regular-season opener in opposition to the Raiders.