Patriots rookie large receiver Ja’Lynn Polk has a choice to make, and it might find yourself having a huge effect on his standing inside the group.
It’s time to step up, or ship out.
Polk has seen issues deteriorate during the last two weeks, recording one complete catch for 4 yards — bringing his complete to 10 on 26 targets this season. New England noticed issues hit a brand new low in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, because the rookie did not file a single catch on three targets earlier than leaving with a head damage halfway via the fourth quarter.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo didn’t mince phrases when requested in regards to the 22-year-old following the sport.
“We’d like extra from Polk,” Mayo stated, per team-provided video. “We’d like extra focus. He’ll be a superb participant on this league, however he’s obtained to proceed to work at it.”
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Mayo stated all of that earlier than realizing his younger wideout posted a cryptic message on Instagram simply hours after the loss in London, which merely concerned an emoji of a hand making the peace signal that yow will discover right here.
Polk is a rookie, and rookies deserve some leeway on foolish issues like social media posts, however these are issues {that a} dangerous soccer crew simply doesn’t want. It’s absurd to assume he’d be “shipped out” for a factor like that, however there’s little doubt he might lose possibilities by distracting the crew by doing one thing so egocentric.
New England constantly tries to maintain him concerned, and does it as a result of he’s one in all its most gifted gamers on the place. Mayo critiqued the rookie this week by claiming he wanted to beat a “psychological hump,” and the response was patently ridiculous. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, however, spent a part of his postgame press convention taking duty for his fellow rookie’s struggles and pledging to assist him develop.
“I feel JP is a superb participant,” Maye stated. “He’s making performs. It’s just a little slick on the market, generally the ball is on the paint and there’s paint everywhere in the ball. I feel it’s simply the sphere just a little bit, however aside from that, I’ve gotta discover methods to get him the soccer early. I’ve gotta get him within the recreation early. I feel that’ll assist him really feel concerned. I’ve gotta make a greater throw to him on the nook route on the primary drive. Little issues like that to get him concerned as a result of he’s a superb participant for us and we want him on the market. It’s on me to get him going.”
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The Patriots want extra of that, not cryptic social media posts.
It’s as much as Polk to determine whether or not he’s prepared to make a change.
