Patriots

When the Patriots chosen Ja'Lynn Polk within the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington wideout was touted as a high-level, safety option for a Patriots team that desired to surround Drake Maye with some weapons.

Even though Polk wasn't as dynamic out of the slot as Ladd McConkey, the Washington wideout was viewed as a reliable pass-catcher who can be anything but a liability on a roster.

Of course, the precise opposite was true for Polk in a lost rookie season.

After impressing during training camp while forging chemistry with Maye, Polk struggled to search out any semblance of traction in Foxborough.

In 15 games this yr, Polk has only 12 catches for a complete of 87 yards. Multiple declines have eroded Polk's confidence, resulting in a pointy decline in snaps in the ultimate stretch of the 2024 campaign.

While drafting talented players inevitably involves some type of gamble on the subject of predicting performance at the very best level of football, Polk appears to have achieved an entire improvement in his projected profile after graduating from college.

It's a step backwards that even leaves Polk perplexed at the beginning of Week 18.

“I wish I could give you an explanation,” Polk said MassLive's Mark Daniels when asked about his playing time. “I don't worry about things I can't control. Just keep coming to work every day and doing what my coaches ask me to do. Just keep the good attitude of supporting the people around me – my brothers in the receiver room, supporting the guys on the team and getting ready every day.”

After a gentle start that saw Polk record eight catches for 61 yards through the primary 4 weeks, these unusual declines began to chip away at his confidence. In his next three games against the Dolphins, Texans and Jaguars, Polk had just two catches on a whopping 13 targets between Jacoby Brissett and Maye.

Despite his promise that he had the “best hands in the league,” Polk's problems deepened as his reps waned.

Despite Jerod Mayo's hope to get Polk and fellow rookie Javon Baker more reps In the ultimate weeks of the 2024 season, Polk played just 15 offensive snaps in the ultimate two weeks against the Bills and Chargers. His last catch got here on November 24 against the Dolphins.

In a season that quickly went off the rails, Polk admitted to Daniels that he still has more to provide – while also emphasizing that he hopes to finish the yr on a high note against the Bills.

“It’s frustrating in a way. This includes patience and trust in your process and journey,” Polk said. “It doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. That's not how life works. I understand that things will get better.

“I don't question why things are the way they are now because I know everything will get better. I can't give a time. All I can do is have a good attitude, keep coming here and working, getting better, finishing this season strong and attacking the offseason.”

Sports update within the morning

Grant Hill on Jaylen Brown not being chosen for Team USA: On Wednesday, USA Basketball announced that Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is not going to play within the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, despite his original selection to the squad.

The US team announced that Derrick White had been chosen by the Celtics as Leonard's successor.

But despite the fact that three Celtics are on the Olympic roster, the discussion quickly turned to a Boston player who was not chosen. Jaylen Brown, the Celtics' MVP within the NBA Finals, was not considered within the initial roster selection, nor was he considered within the spot that became available after Leonard's withdrawal.

When asked concerning the embarrassment on Wednesday before the U.S.'s pre-Olympic warm-up game against Canada, USA Basketball CEO Grant Hill stressed the importance of balance.

“It’s about putting together a team,” Hill founded. “All in all, there's incredible interest here in the United States from a wealth of talent. I talked about it a little bit when we were putting this roster together. You have 12 spots; you have to build a team. One of the hardest things is cutting guys off the roster that I'm a fan of and enjoy watching throughout the season and the playoffs.”

“Guys who were Finals MVPs,” Hill added. “Guys who were part of the program. Guys who won gold medals. Guys that I respect, admire and enjoy watching. But my responsibility is to put together a team that complements each other, a team that fits together, a team that gives us the best chance to succeed. Whatever theories are out there, they are just that.”

Brown, particularly, had a theory. The 27-year-old appeared to suggest that Nike can have played a job:

Brown has a documented history not being a Nike fan. Hill responded to questions on Brown's Nike stance with a joke.

“Well, I've worn Fila for most of my career,” Hill said seriously, later adding, “I'm kidding.”

“We are obviously proud of our partners,” said Hill. “This is about putting a team together.”

Results and fixtures:

The Red Sox lost 5-2 to the Athletics on Wednesday, with Nick Pivetta allowing 4 runs in 6.2 innings despite ten strikeouts.

The two teams will play again tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park.

More from Boston.com:

Jayson Tatum plays for Team USA: The Celtics champion marked his return to international business with some beautiful sequences and scored a complete of eight points in 17 minutes within the Olympic preparation win against Canada on Wednesday.

Teammate Jrue Holiday began and finished the sport with 11 points, five rebounds and 4 assists.

On today: In 1969, the Red Sox won a doubleheader against the Orioles and won the primary game 7-4 and the second game 12-3Carl Yastrzemski hit a house run in each game, and Reggie Smith went 7-for-9 and hit a house run within the two wins over Baltimore.

Daily highlight: Just a couple of highlights from Team USA, culminating with a layup by Jrue Holiday.