Insider Reveals Biggest Reason for Patriots Rookie's Struggles

A big reason has been revealed for New England Patriots rookie Ja'Lynn Polk's struggles this year.

Nov 17, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (1) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The 2024 NFL season has not gone according to plan for New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk.

After being drafted with the No. 37 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Polk was expected to be a key player for the Patriots' offense. Unfortunately, that has not ended up being the case.

Throughout the course of his rookie season, Polk has caught just 12 passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games.

Clearly, those are disappointing numbers that leave concern about his future. Polk has elite athleticism and route-running and in college he looked like a future star, but that has not materialized on the NFL field so far in New England.

With that being said, a huge reason for his struggles has been revealed.

Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald has reported what sources close to the team feel has been a big part of of Polk's problem in his rookie season.

“Team sources believe Polk is struggling mentally with mistakes and that he’s hard on himself, so the issues are compounding," Kyed reported.

Obviously, the hope is that Polk can figure out his issues to finish out the 2024 season. At the very least, they need him to attack the offseason and work hard to get back on track for 2025.

Polk is going to be a big part of the future if he can reach his full potential. However, the Patriots are widely expected to go out and bring in wide receiver talent in the offseason.

New England would like to bring in a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver for young quarterback Drake Maye this offseason. Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase have been mentioned as options. In the NFL Draft, both Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan have been rumored to be potential targets.

While they will likely bring in a new No. 1 wideout, the Patriots would still love to see Polk start playing to his potential and become a key playmaker for Maye and the offense.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Patriots Are A Cut Above The NFL's Worst
• Patriots' Bill Belichick Leaning Toward Accepting UNC Job
• Patriots Rookie Hilariously Reveals He Thought He Got Cut
• Patriots' Rob Gronkowski Owes A Lot To Former Teammate
• Insider Drops Bomb on Patriots' Bill Belichick, UNC Talks