FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots first year head coach Mike Vrabel isn’t hiding his frustration. After reports surfaced that wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk could miss the 2025 season with a shoulder injury, Vrabel vowed Thursday to track down the “rat” leaking news from inside the building,
I’d like to find out where some of these [reports] come from. Some of these rats around here. We’ll figure that out,” said Vrabel in a video posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) by Sleeper’s Carlos A. Lopez.
The Pats head coach declined to confirm the report, but his comments suggested there may be truth to it. Polk was expected to step into a much larger role this season after a quiet rookie campaign. Drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he recorded just 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns in limited action as a rookie.
The potential loss of Polk is another setback for a Patriots wide receiver group already thin on depth. Veteran Stefon Diggs is still recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in October 2024, leaving New England with major questions just weeks before the season opener. The team could look to add a veteran pass catcher through a trade or via roster cuts around the league.
Vrabel, hired this offseason to help reset a franchise coming off a 4-13 finish in 2024, has made accountability and intensity hallmarks of his approach. Rooting out an internal leak won’t show up in the standings, but it reflects the tone Vrabel is trying to establish as New England rebuilds.
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