New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism is one of the biggest breakouts of the preseason, and the undrafted free agent’s impressive play could lead to the end of the Ja’Lynn Polk Era. Selected early in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington product had a rookie season to forget. Appearing in 15 games, Polk finished his season with just 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns despite playing on a wide-open depth chart with plenty of opportunities to earn snaps. He ranked at or near the bottom of just about every receiving metric out there, and he might not earn a chance to redeem himself.
Chism has dominated offseason workouts and transferred that success into the preseason, most recently recording six receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown in Week 2’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. With Polk continuing to disappoint and only so many roster spots to go around, nobody should be surprised if New England moves on from their top-40 pick after just one season. While he didn’t work out in New England, some team will probably take a chance on Polk after teams establish their 53-man roster.
Efton Chism’s targets vs the Vikings
Joshua Dobbs twice checked to man-beaters on 3rd down with Chism as the primary read pic.twitter.com/CkDDHYuilL
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) August 17, 2025
Patriots Could Release Ja’Lynn Polk Following Efton Chism Breakout
Next Teams
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers entered the second week of the preseason with an underwhelming group of wide receivers, and that depth will be tested following Quentin Johnston’s concussion. Ladd McConkey is the real deal, and Keenan Allen still has some gas in his tank, but the rest of the depth chart needs some work. Perhaps second-round pick Tre Harris or KeAndre Lambert-Smith can step up, but Ja’Lynn Polk could be a nice low-risk, medium-reward investment on the practice squad.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent the offseason loading up on veteran talent, so they should think about bringing in someone who could be part of the future. While his rookie season was disastrous, Ja’Lynn Polk could benefit from a change of scenery, and the Steelers could be better for his long-term outlook than the Patriots. Historically speaking, New England struggles to develop wide receivers, while Pittsburgh excels at bringing out the best in its young talent. After all, Polk is just entering his age-23 season.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have arguably the game’s weakest roster and lack the financial capacity to land proven commodities on the open market. With this in mind, Kellen Moore’s squad must take calculated risks on young players who could become part of the team’s future. Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed’s presence ensures Ja’Lynn Polk won’t have to start right away, allowing the Patriots wideout to develop a rapport with the Saints young quarterbacks during practices. It’s admittedly a long shot, but this arrangement could make him a serviceable third receiver on a cost-effective contract.
Main Photo: Paul Rutherford – Imagn Images
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