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Patriots-Chargers preview: Ja’Lynn Polk trending in wrong direction? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
FOXBORO — What are the stakes? The Patriots have very little to play for when it comes to the standings. If anything, there should be some level of attempting to at the very least match last year’s atrocious four-win record.
Yet, the stakes exist. They exist for a coaching staff with a couple of coordinators whose seats should be warm with the offseason approaching. They exist for a roster full of players whose 2025 whereabouts are uncertain, needing to put out as much competent tape as possible as they hope to earn jobs for next season.
And they exist for Patriots decision-makers, who need to use the football left to get a real gauge on what they have in their young players as they look to build their team for the future.
Layden Robinson has acquitted himself relatively well in the last two games while allowing just one pressure. He’s one of just eight guards in the NFL with at least 75 total snaps in Weeks 16 and 17 who has allowed less than two pressures in that span. Perhaps he’s on track to take on the team’s starting left guard role next season.
Cole Strange is looking like he’ll start at center in Week 17, giving him a chance to show what he can do after missing most of the season following a knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign prematurely.
At receiver, the outlook is less positive. It’s my understanding that Ja’Lynn Polk was discussed by the Patriots as a healthy scratch prior to the Bills game, and he ended up playing only three snaps in that game. Javon Baker appears to have worked his way beyond Polk on the depth chart, but not in a significant way, playing eight snaps in Buffalo.
On Polk in particular, one would assume the team hoped coming off its bye week in Week 14 that their second-round pick would be able to settle in and make a push toward salvaging the back end of his first year as a pro. Instead, he appears to be trending in the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-chargers-preview-jalynn-polk-170547490.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-12-28 17:05:00
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