New England Patriots open door for rookie WR to shine

New England Patriots entered last offseason with a clear need at wide receiver, but after free agency and trades hit them, they had to turn to the draft.

They selected Ja’Lynn Polk early in the second round and selected Javon Baker a couple of rounds later.

Baker was widely expected to play a very significant role in the Patriots’ offense heading into 2024, but instead he was barely visible.

But that may soon change.

New England head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Friday that he sees a big role in Baker’s promotion.

“He’s had some great weeks of training the last couple of weeks.” Mayo saidvia the Pats’ official YouTube account. “Now hopefully he gets a chance to play some receiver. He’s an explosive player. We’ll have to see that on Sunday.”

The Patriots did hire Baker to return kick last week against the New York Jets, but Mayo was disappointed with the resultsas the freshman playmaker only responded with one shot.

As a receiver, Baker hasn’t been targeted all season, which is quite alarming considering how weak New England’s receiving corps is.

The 22-year-old had an impressive 2023 campaign at Central Florida with 52 receptions for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 21.9 yards per catch, showcasing his explosiveness.

Perhaps Baker could be a real threat in the Pats’ offense this Sunday.

The Patriots currently don’t have a true No. 1 receiver, and DeMario Douglas fills that role. Meanwhile, Kendrick Bourne recorded just four catches in four games, both KJ Osborne And Tyquan Thornton appear to be candidates for exchange.

New England is 2-6 and will face the Tennessee Titans in Week 9.

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