Patriots’ Ja’Lynn Polk To Miss 2025 Season
Ja’Lynn Polk had been viewed as a candidate to miss final roster cuts with the Patriots this summer. The second-year wideout’s attention will now turn to matter of recovery, however. 
Polk is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Multiple specialists were consulted before the decision was made to move forward with the procedure, he adds. Polk will now aim to return to full health in time for the 2026 campaign.
Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Polk entered the league with high expectations based on his success at the college level. The Texas Tech product transferred to Washington in 2021 and enjoyed a strong finish to his career with the Huskies. His final season produced personal bests in catches (69), yards (1,159) and touchdowns (nine).
During his rookie campaign with New England, though, Polk made just 12 catches on 33 targets. The team’s offense as a whole struggled mightily last season, leading to a slew of changes over the past several months. With a new regime in place, Polk – along with fellow 2024 draftee Javon Baker – loomed as a cut candidate at the end of training camp. Given today’s news, he can simply be moved to injured reserve and retained through next year.
The Patriots are positioned to move forward with Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas as starters at the receiver spot. Rookie Kyle Williams and Kendrick Bourne (presuming the latter is not released next week) are also set to have a role in the passing game in 2025, while undrafted free agent Efton Chism has enjoyed a strong camp to the point where is expected to make the Week 1 roster. A decision will not need to be with respect to Polk anymore, but Baker’s status will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
By the time he is back to full strength in 2026, Polk will have two years remaining on his rookie contract. His Patriots future will presumably be unclear once again at that point, and a decision on retaining him or moving on will be impacted by the performance of New England’s other wideouts this season.
Patriots Open To Trading S Kyle Dugger, OLB Anfernee Jennings
The Patriots are open to trading veteran defenders Kyle Dugger and Anfernee Jennings, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.
Dugger, a five-year veteran with 65 career starts, has seen a role reduction under new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. The Patriots just signed the 29-year-old safety to a four-year, $58MM extension last April, but this offseason’s regime change seems to have him on the outside of the roster bubble looking in.
Dugger’s contract – which includes $9.75MM of guaranteed money due this season, per OverTheCap – will be a major obstacle to a deal, per Howe and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. This close to the season, teams either don’t have the cap space or desire to absorb that much money, so the Patriots would likely need to eat some of Dugger’s 2025 salary to facilitate a deal.
Jennings, meanwhile, has impressed in the preseason with three sacks and and a 16.2% pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), stirring up some interest around the league. His contract would be easier to move; an acquiring team would take on $4.3MM in 2025 ($1.35MM guaranteed) with essentially a $4MM team option for 2026, per OverTheCap. The Patriots, meanwhile, would only have to absorb $1MM in dead cap charges in 2025 and 2026.
The Patriots have the defensive depth to withstand the loss of either player. Fifth-year safety Jaylinn Hawkins has been taking first-team reps alongside Jabrill Peppers with fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson mixing in as well. At outside linebacker, veteran Harold Landry and 2023 second-rounder Keion White are poised to start with former first-rounder K’Lavon Chaisson and fifth-round rookie Bradyn Swinson providing depth.
Patriots Believe Trey Hendrickson Cost Is “Too Much”
With no end in sight to the ongoing Trey Hendrickson saga, there were reports that the Patriots were sniffing around at a potential trade. While New England was understandably doing its due diligence, it doesn’t sound like they’re close to acquiring the star pass rusher.
[RELATED: Patriots Open To Trade Acquisition]
According to Josina Anderson, the Patriots feel the cost to acquire Hendrickson is currently “too much.” Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds that New England doesn’t appear close to acquiring the 2024 sacks leader.
There were rumblings yesterday that the Patriots had reached out to the Bengals about a potential Hendrickson trade. That report followed remarks from New England’s de facto general manager Eliot Wolf that the organization would be willing to part with a first- or second-round pick to facilitate a trade for a star player. Wolf obviously didn’t mention any names, but the timing of both reports did raise some eyebrows.
If the Patriots are indeed willing to part with a first-round pick for a hypothetical “star player,” it stands to reason that the Bengals may be asking for even more draft compensation in return for Hendrickson. An acquiring team would presumably be willing to pay the edge rusher what he’s seeking, so a trade would likely end this ongoing storyline. Instead, the Hendrickson watch continues, with the player most recently acknowledging that guarantees remain the sticking point in negotiations with the Bengals (per ESPN’s Ben Baby).
While any team would surely welcome a player of Hendrickson’s talent, the Patriots are a particularly logical landing spot after the team ranked last in sacks in 2024. The Patriots only compiled 28 total sacks, trailing the 31st-ranked Falcons by three. For comparison’s sake, Hendrickson has collected 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons.
To the front office’s credit, the organization did bring in some pass-rush help this offseason. Free agent additions Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson should provide some help on the edge, while Milton Williams has shown an elite ability to get to the QB in the middle of the defensive line. With Keion White showing promise as a sophomore, New England’s pass rush should look a whole lot better in 2025. Of course, adding Hendrickson to the grouping would transform the Patriots’ pass-rush unit to one of the best in the NFL.
Based on how the Bengals have operated throughout this entire saga, it’s not a surprise they’re not feeling any urgency to figure out a solution. If Cincy does eventually decide to move on, the Patriots would remain a logical landing spot.
Patriots Notes: Dobbs, Brown, Chism
It’s been assumed that Joshua Dobbs would serve as Drake Maye‘s primary backup in 2025, but the veteran quarterback may not have a roster spot secure. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, Dobbs is not a “lock” to make the Patriots roster.
As Volin notes, Dobbs has struggled during training camp and the preseason. He completed only five of his 12 pass attempts in the preseason opener, and he followed that up with two pick-6s during joint practices with the Vikings. Those performances prompted coach Mike Vrabel to admit that the veteran “has to be more consistent.”
Further, Dobbs doesn’t have any prior experience to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, so it’s not like the veteran can help Maye with installing the new system. Plus, the backup is attached to only a $1.7MM salary for the 2025 campaign, so there aren’t any financial hurdles that would accompany his release.
Of course, there are also a handful of things working in Dobbs’ favor. For starters, the rest of the team’s depth consists of UDFA Ben Wooldridge. Dobbs brings more experience than many backup QBs, as the 30-year-old has garnered 15 starts across seven years in the NFL (including one last year with the 49ers). He also looked much better in the team’s second preseason game, completing 11 of 16 passes for 106 yards and a score.
More notes out of New England…
- While rookie Jared Wilson once seemed prime to open the season as the Patriots left guard, that may no longer be the case. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes that Ben Brown has seemed to pass his rookie teammate at the position, and the veteran garnered the starting spot during the team’s second preseason contest. Brown struggled in 10 starts at center for the Patriots in 2024, but the team’s lack of OL depth may mean they don’t have a better choice.
- Much has been made of the tough decisions the Patriots will face at the wide receiver position, and an unexpected name has quickly inserted themselves into the picture. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, UDFA Efton Chism has likely played his way on to the 53-man roster. The Eastern Washington product has been a standout this preseason, hauling in 12 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Chism making the roster would seemingly push Kendrick Bourne, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker off the squad.
NFL Minor Transactions: 8/19/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Grant DuBose
- Waived/injured: DB Te’Cory Couch, WR Kaden Prather
- Placed on IR: RB Darrynton Evans, RB Jarveon Howard
- Released from IR: LB Justin Hollins
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/PUP: DT Mekhi Wingo
Green Bay Packers
- Reverted to IR: DL Keith Randolph
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Cornell Powell
- Released: RB J.J. Taylor
- Waived/injured: WR Xavier Johnson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Jerome Carvin, RB Kevin Harris
- Waived: WR Darius Lassiter, DL Eli Mostaert
- Released from IR: CB Zech McPhearson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Mike McAllister
- Waived/injured: WR Mario Williams
- Reverted to IR: LB Keir Thomas
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Zack Bailey, RB Xazavian Valladay
- Waived: LB Max Tooley
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB Micah Bernard, DT Philip Blidi
- Waived: CB Tre Avery, DE Jereme Robinson
- Reverted to IR: DE Isaiah Iton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Kenny Willekes
- Waived/injured: OT Gareth Warren
- Reverted to IR: LB Devin Harper
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR: RB Ameer Abdullah, WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Tennessee Titans
- Released: LB Khaleke Hudson
Ameer Abdullah landed on IR earlier this month with a rib injury, but he’ll now have an opportunity to play in 2025 following his release. The veteran is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024, when he compiled 572 yards from scrimmage in 16 games (three starts) with the Raiders. The 49ers filled his spot on the roster by signing veteran Jeff Wilson.
Equanimeous St. Brown will also have a chance to play in 2025, as the WR was previously ruled out with a foot injury. The veteran wideout only has five catches over the past two seasons.
No Trey Hendrickson Trade Imminent; Bengals’ Asking Price Has Dropped?
The last few days have brought a flurry of updates regarding Trey Hendrickson‘s persisting standoff with the Bengals, though there seems to be no real progress regarding contract or trade talks
Hendrickson and the Bengals reached an agreement on the length and value of an extension weeks ago, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. However, the team still refuses to guarantee money beyond the 2025 season, which has been one of the All-Pro edge rusher’s demands all along. Hendrickson confirmed the state of negotiations as described by Pelissero to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge during Monday Night Football coverage of the Bengals-Commanders preseason game (via ESPN’s Ben Baby).
Rutledge also reported that there has been no movement on a potential trade, likely due to the Bengals’ high asking price. They rejected an offer of “a second-round pick and change,” before the draft, per Pelissero, preferring a first-rounder instead. He added that the price has “softened, or at least changed a little bit,” explaining that Cincinnati is now asking for a draft pick and a young impact player to help offset the loss of Hendrickson this year.
However, that does not gel with a report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who says that teams who checked in with the Bengals regarding a Hendrickson trade were given an asking price of a 2026 first-round pick and a young defensive player. That player does not necessarily have to be a pass rusher.
Despite an early report that the Browns were interested in trading for Hendrickson, Cleveland is not “seriously pursuing” the NFL’s reigning sack leader, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Patriots, however, have called about Hendrickson, per Outkick’s Armando Salguero, though putting together a package that meets the Bengals’ requirements may be difficult this close to the season.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived/injured: QB Emory Jones
- Signed: LB Ronnie Perkins
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Thomas Graham
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: TE Tyler Mabry
Chicago Bears
- Waived from IR with injury settlement: CB Ameer Speed
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Michael Ojemudia
- Waived/injured: CB Bruce Harmon
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/PUP list: CB Khalil Dorsey
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DL Devonte O’Malley, DB Jaylin Simpson
- Waived: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
- Waived/injured: DL Keith Randolph
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Juwann Winfree
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jake Chaney, LB Joseph Vaughn
- Placed on IR: OT Blake Freeland, LB Jacob Phillips, S Hunter Wohler
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from active/PUP: LB Del’Shawn Phillips
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Mason Brooks
- Placed on IR: OL Yodny Cajuste
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Xazavian Valladay
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Phil Lutz
- Waived/injured: DT Isaiah Iton
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: DB Kris Boyd
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Kam Alexander, OT Julian Pearl
- Released: DL Breiden Fehoko, WR Roc Taylor, LB Devin Harper
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Will Brooks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DT T.J. Smith
Ojemudia is returning to the NFL after playing for the UFL’s DC Defenders in the spring, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. After starting 11 games for the Broncos as a rookie in 2020, he struggled with injuries and hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022.. The 27-year-old will add depth to a Cowboys cornerback room that isn’t expecting Trevon Diggs or Shavon Revel back until September. Second-year corner Caelen Carson is also dealing with a knee injury, so Ojemudia could get some snaps in Dallas’ last preseason game on Friday. A 53-man roster spot is unlikely given how late he signed with the team, but a strong first week could keep him in contention for the practice squad.
Winfree, a five-year veteran, will land with his fourth NFL team after a workout in Houston. The Texans also worked out former Chiefs wideout Cornell Powell, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Freeland, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started nine games as a rookie and spent 2024 as the Colts’ swing tackle. He will be out for the season with a fractured leg, per Colts.com writer JJ Stankevitz, as will Phillips (bicep), who hasn’t played in the regular season since 2022. Wohler sustained a Lisfranc injury, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. The seventh-round safety will miss his rookie year after appearing to carve out a role in the Colts defense with an impressive preseason.
Eliot Wolf: Patriots Open To Trade Acquisition
Sunday saw a pair of trades take place in the NFL, and more could be coming as teams sort out their rosters leading up to the cutdown deadline. In the meantime, a number of high-profile players are still without an extension at this point. 
Trades for the likes of Terry McLaurin (Commanders), Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and Micah Parsons (Cowboys) have been speculated about given the lack of progress with respect to contract talks in each case. The Commanders have not shown a willingness to move McLaurin, whereas GMs around the league do not view a Parsons swap as being realistic. Interest will no doubt continue to be shown by suitors, though, and the Patriots will be worth watching on that front.
“We’re talking to all 31 other teams and trying to do what’s best for us,” de facto general manager Eliot Wolf said on Monday when asked about potentially swinging a notable trade (via MassLive’s Karen Guregian). “If something presents itself, I think those things are often a lot more complicated than the fans and some others like to make you believe, but if there’s something we think can help us, we’ll definitely be open to it.”
More importantly, Wolf later answered in the affirmative when specifically asked if he would be willing to part with a first- or second-round pick to facilitate a trade. In the case of Hendrickson in particular, that could prove to be significant. The Bengals are once again fielding trade calls for the reigning sack leader even though any return deep into August would presumably fall short of what would have been attainable during the spring.
Cincinnati is reportedly seeking a package involving at least one player in addition to draft capital in the event of a Hendrickson trade. Any acquiring team would then be required to also hammer out a long-term extension including a commitment beyond Year 1 in terms of guaranteed money (something which has proven to be a sticking point with the Bengals). The Patriots could represent a suitable trade partner keeping each factor in mind.
New England has the draft capital to pull off a notable trade for a veteran like Hendrickson, and the team leads the league with nearly $60MM in 2025 cap space (although future funds are more relevant to an extension, of course). Meanwhile, defenders like Anfernee Jennings and Kyle Dugger are on the Patriots’ roster bubble. Jennings has experience operating on the edge, and adding him could help compensate – to a slight extent, at least – for the loss of Hendrickson were a trade to be worked out.
Nothing is imminent regarding the Patriots at this point. Given Wolf’s comments and their financial situation, though, they will be a team to monitor until and unless the league’s top remaining contract standoffs find a resolution.
Patriots S Kyle Dugger Demoted To Backup
Kyle Dugger‘s name recently emerged as one to watch regarding a trade or release from the Patriots. The veteran safety’s status has come into question largely as a result of his demotion. 
Dugger has taken snaps with the Patriots’ second-team defense in a number of practices, as detailed by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Jabrill Peppers and Jaylinn Hawkins have operated with the starters, with the same also being true of fourth-round rookie Craig Woodson. That has left Dugger alongside Marcus Epps with New England’s backups.
For most of his five-year Patriots tenure, Dugger has handled full-time starting duties. The former second-rounder was one of several defenders who received a new deal last offseason, inking a four-year, $58MM pact after receiving the transition tag. As a result, he is owed a guaranteed base salary of $9.75MM this season. Dugger is also slated to see injury guarantees vest in 2026, making his contract a difficult one to trade for (especially at this time of year).
Struggles in coverage have been a talking point throughout the 29-year-old’s career, but 2024 saw him surrender six touchdowns and a passer rating of 137.4 as the nearest defender. The arrival of Mike Vrabel and a new coaching staff has left Dugger with work to do in terms of reclaiming his familiar role on defense. Vrabel has left the door open, at least publicly, to the Lenoir-Rhyne product earning a starting gig.
“I think just making sure that he’s where he needs to be and understanding the coverage concepts and everything we do,” Vrabel said when asked about Dugger could regain a first-team spot. “Keep working and keep progressing. A lot of this is the guys that have earned a right to take a look with that first unit, and again, there’ll be different lineups and different things, so just focus on the reps that you get.”
Dugger has made between 78 and 109 tackles during his four seasons as a full-time starter, collecting nine interceptions during that span. That production is set to decrease significantly unless he manages to make up ground over the next few weeks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/25
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: RB Marcus Major
Chicago Bears
- Reverted to IR: S Major Burns
Cleveland Browns
- Waived from IR: WR Luke Floriea
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Raiders): WR Kawaan Baker
- Reverted to IR: CB Isaiah Dunn, RB Jalen White
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Tre’ McKitty
- Placed on IR: TE Dalton Keene
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Marcus Haynes
- Placed on IR: WR D.J. Montgomery
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Keni-H Lovely
- Released from IR (injury settlement): CB Levi Wallace
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Nehemiah Shelton
- Waived/injured: CB Jordan Oladokun
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Cam Gill, LB Max Tooley
- Reverted to IR: C Zeke Correll
New England Patriots
- Reverted to IR: RB Deneric Prince
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: WR Bub Means, TE Mason Pline
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Malik Turner
- Placed on IR: DE Bradlee Anae, DE Demone Harris, LB William Bradley-King
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to reserve/PUP: QB Michael Pratt
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): LB Brian Asamoah II
- Waived: LB Otis Reese
- Reverted to IR: LB Anfernee Orji
The Titans swapped linebackers today, replacing Otis Reese with Brian Asamoah II. The latter was waived by the Vikings yesterday, but he’ll quickly land on his feet in Tennessee. The former third-round pick spent three years in Minnesota, collecting 30 tackles in 46 games. 802 of his 990 snaps came on special teams. He’ll be taking the spot formerly held by Reese, who started five games for the Titans over the previous two seasons.