Patriots' Ja'Lynn Polk Reportedly Out Entire 2025 NFL Season With Shoulder Injury

The New England Patriots reportedly lost some wide receiver depth for the upcoming season.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday that Ja'Lynn Polk will be sidelined for the 2025 campaign due to a shoulder injury.

"The 2024 second-round pick saw multiple specialists, and surgery was determined to be the best course of action—with the goal of being fully healthy for 2026," Schultz wrote.

Polk appeared in 15 games as a rookie but wasn't much of a contributor with 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. 

New England was surely hoping the 23-year-old would be more of a factor in his second season, especially since it selected him so early in the 2024 NFL draft. What's more, he flashed plenty of his potential during his collegiate career at Washington.

He finished with 69 catches for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2023 season and helped lead the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game. He was part of a dominant one-two punch at wide receiver alongside Rome Odunze in an offense that also featured quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Odunze was the No. 9 overall pick of the same draft and made more of an impact as a rookie with 54 catches for 734 yards and three scores for the Chicago Bears.

Unfortunately for Polk and the Patriots, he will have to wait until the 2026 season to live up to the potential he showed in college.

As for New England, it still has a wide receiver room that includes Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. Polk might not have seen much playing time with that group even if he was healthy.

New England is looking to bounce back from a 4-13 season with second-year quarterback Drake Maye and begins its campaign on Sept. 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.