{"id":81114,"date":"2025-08-21T08:35:36","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T08:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=81114"},"modified":"2025-08-21T08:37:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T08:37:03","slug":"shocking-twist-patriots-receiver-fighting-for-spot-earns-promising-update-despite-absences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=81114","title":{"rendered":"\u201cShocking Twist! Patriots Receiver Fighting for Spot Earns Promising Update Despite Absences\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<article id=\"post-2043148\"><!--?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ??--><!--?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ??--><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sportsnaut.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NFL-New-England-Patriots-Training-Camp-26691180.jpg\" alt=\"Patriots insider delivers shocking Javon Baker update ahead of preseason opener\" \/>New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker looks like he could get another crack at proving he should stay past cutdown day.The second-year receiver has had a decent camp, though that hasn\u2019t necessarily translated to games. He\u2019s taken reps on special teams, as well, and is clearly trying to atone for an underwhelming rookie campaign.<\/p>\n<p>There was optimism that Baker would out-perform his fourth-round selection, but he offered few meaningful contributions in Year 1. He had one reception for 12 yards with just four targets in 11 games as a rookie.<\/p>\n<p>Now, he\u2019s in a battle with the likes of Kendrick Bourne and Ja\u2019Lynn Polk to grab one of the last spots. That was made more difficult by the fact that he missed the last two practices leading up to Wednesday\u2019s trip to New York for Thursday\u2019s preseason finale. against the Giants<\/p>\n<p>However, it appears Baker will indeed make the trip, ESPN\u2019s Mike Reiss reported Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>That\u2019s big for Baker, who badly needs to show something in game action. Assuming the Patriots carry seven receivers, there\u2019s essentially one spot for Bourne, Baker and Polk, thanks to the rise of Efton Chism III.<\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p>Further, Reiss had reported earlier that because Bourne and Polk also missed the last two practices, it was unlikely they would be available Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>Whether enough runway remains for Polk to convince Mike Vrabel and Co. he belongs in the group of 53 remains to be seen. But the fact that dressing Thursday is now in play for Polk means he\u2019ll at least get one more chance at sticking around.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New England Patriots leave for New York on Wednesday, and one wideout who needs a good showing appears healthy enough to make the trip.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":81115,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\u201cShocking Twist! 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