FOXBOROUGH - After having a season to forget, you would assume Ja'Lynn Polk would have taken a long, hard look at how he went about his business and made modifications, if not wholesale changes, to establish himself as someone who was worthy of being a 2024 second-round pick. Instead, we got this from Polk today.
“I don’t really think nothing is really different,” he said. “I just got my foot in the water that first year. Now, when I get the opportunity to get going, we’re going to make it happen.”
Polk's 2025 season got off to a slow start. He wasn't a full participant in the spring as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Given full clearance to start camp, Polk instead spent the first four days unavailable, with what team sources termed as lower-body muscle soreness.
To his credit, the former University of Washington product caught a touchdown pass from Drake Maye on his first day back on the field (though it did come in a run-heavy period down by the goal line). Polk had a couple of more catches the last two days as he tries to make up for lost time.
“I didn’t see the mental errors, which sometimes occur when you are getting the installation but not able to go and rep it," said Mike Vrabel.
Polk caught just 12 passes for 87 yards as a rookie, while the player the Pats traded off of, Georgia's Ladd McConkey, went bonkers (82 rec, 1149 yds, 7 TDs) for Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Pats de facto GM Eliot Wolf believed too much was put on Polk's plate by last year's coaching staff and that it heavily impacted his growth. Perhaps, but the bottom line is the 23-year-old quickly became unplayable, and when he did play, he had a rash of mistakes (drops, wrong routes).
"I don’t go off the narrative or what people think of me,” said Polk. “I know who I am, and I know the work that I’ve put in each and every day to go out there and help this team win. I’m going to keep working hard each and every day, and I’m going to keep going into my preparation and applying it to the field.”
When pressed about not changing or even acknowledging the problems of a year ago, Polk didn't budge.
“I don’t even think about last year," he insisted. “We’ve got a new staff, new team. The energy is great around here. I’m here now. I’m stepping each foot forward and keeping my faith in the Lord.”
Polk will have to move those feet faster and with more assertiveness if he wants to pen a comeback story. He's in a fight for a roster spot with fellow second-year player Javon Baker, veteran Kendrick Bourne, and even though Efton Chism is slot-only, the UDFA is currently ahead of Polk in the pecking order. With Stefon Diggs, Pop Douglas, Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins locks, that leaves four pass catchers for two spots, though practice squad could be a possibility for someone like Baker and/or Chism. Does Polk view this as a competition?
“No, I think I’m in a fight with myself,” he said. “I’m competing with myself each and every day, trying to be better than I was yesterday. As long as I’ve got that mindset, I’m going to be great.”
YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION
D.J. James isn't a household name. Maybe he never will be. The odds are certainly stacked against him. James is a 6th-round draft pick who failed to make the Seahawks coming out of his first training camp, and ended up here in New England as a practice squader under the previous coaching staff.
But the second-year cornerback is making the most of his opportunities this summer with the Patriots, especially with the high-priced Carlton Davis barely practicing (he's missed five of the seven sessions) and now with Christian Gonzalez (hamstring) out for the foreseeable future.
James has shown up in every practice with at least one pass breakup, and on Wednesday, he found himself running with the ones alongside Alex Austin and Marcus Jones.
“D.J. James always gets around the ball,” said James. “He’s always around the ball.”
Let's put aside referencing himself in third person (I got Rickey Henderson vibes) to take a closer look at James, who described himself as "Sticky and instinctive." He is tallish (6 feet) and long, with 31-inch arms. James has added some size from his days at Auburn when he played in the 160s, and though he wouldn't give me his actual weight, he did agree that he's around 180 pounds (the team has him listed at 184. I'm dubious). That's not ideal, but nor is it a deal breaker. James has certainly caught the eye of the man who matters the most.
"D.J. is one of those players that's improved from the end of the spring until now," said Vrabel, "and he's taken advantage of some players that aren't there, so then he moves up a group or whatever that may be, and therefore he's taking advantage of his opportunities, and he'll continue to earn more opportunities. But D.J. is an improved player through the short time that we've been here."
Cornerback depth is critical in this league, and in particular for this team. Davis hasn't played more than 13 games in a season since 2020, and Gonzalez missed the final 13 games of his rookie year. Jones has also had issues staying intact as the primary slot defender.
There's a hodgepodge of younger DBs vying for top reserve spots. While Marcellas Dial appears to be the primary backup as the nickel through the first week, James appears to be the 4th guy on the outside and ahead of the likes of Isaiah Bolden, Kobee Minor (2025 7th rounder), Miles Battle (who balled out in the regular season finale last year) and a couple of undrafted kids.
