Javon Baker Sounds Off on Tough Competition in Patriots' WR Room

The New England Patriots rookie is ready to take on a contested position battle.

Patriots receiver, Javon Baker ,heads over to say hello to fans before practice begins. / Kris Craig/The Providence Journal / USA

One of the most prominent position battles to watch for the New England Patriots in 2024 revolves around the wide receiver room-- centered on who on the squad will make the cut, and who will have a big role across the next season.

The Patriots have several players on hand with the chance to make a strong impact on the offense from the jump. Returning faces like Kendrick Bourne and Pop Douglas enter this year healthy and prepared for a solid target share, while second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk joins the fold as a potential building block for New England's fresh regime.

However, one player that can't be lost in the shuffle is the Patriots' day three pick of April's draft, UCF WR Javon Baker. The fourth-round pick joins aboard with ample opportunity to develop into a large component of the New England offense and has already begun to make a noticeable impression through the early days of training camp.

During Sunday's practice, Baker spoke to the media about how competition has looked in the Patriots' WR room to start camp, where he noted that while the stakes were high, it's nothing he's unaccustomed to as a receiver:

"It's a lot of competition. Being a receiver, there's going to be competition anyways. Everybody wants the ball. So, everybody just has to do their role, and whatever coach says, do it. It's simple... We're young guys. You've got to play a role on these teams. So, if the team wants us to do this, we're going to have to do it as a rookie. "

- Javon Baker

Baker will have a good chance to be one of Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye's top targets even in his year one season. He's a physical, athletic 6-foot-1 pass catcher who can be an immediate vertical threat in this offense, which is something that side of the ball has struggled to facilitate in years past.

The big question for Baker is about where he'll fall in the depth chart with a loaded set of pass catchers in-house. Other guys like JuJu Smith-Schuster and offseason addition K.J. Osborn also have a shot to make an impression in camp, which could limit the appearances of this team's rookie talent to start.

Yet, if Baker can continue to make an imprint on this offense in the early motions of the season, seeing him becoming a starter as the Patriots X receiver at some point through the year is well within the realm of possibility. Especially if the chemistry begins to click between him and Maye once the third-overall pick is handed the keys, the sky is the limit for what this duo could provide.

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