FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Patriots owed it to quarterback Drake Maye—the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, who flashed his potential as a rookie—to surround him with talent as he enters his second NFL season. This spring, they bolstered that supporting cast with veterans Mack Hollins and Stefon Diggs while also drafting Washington State's Kyle Williams.
Those three, along with shift slot receiver DeMario Douglas, are virtual locks to make New England's opening day roster. The rest of the room, on the other hand, is on the bubble. Between Kayshon Boutte, pseudo busts Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, veteran Kendrick Bourne, and undrafted free agent Efton Chism III, there are seemingly five players up for two spots.
So who helped themself—and who hurt themself—in the Patriots' 48-18 preseason win over the Commanders? Here's a stock watch on the team's wide receiver room:
📉 Stock Down: Kendrick Bourne
While not playing in a preseason game can sometimes mean roster security, Kendrick Bourne's case is far different. He was rolled up on during last week's in-stadium scrimmage and was held out of Friday's contest as he recovers.
Bourne, 30, signed a three-year deal with the Patriots last offseason amid recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery, and failed to return to form in 2024. The re-hiring of Josh McDaniels was thought to be a positive for Bourne—whose best NFL season took place with him as OC in 2021. But a lack of consistent playing time with the 1's, mixed with his unavailability, currently put him on the outside looking into the Patriots' wide receiver room.
📈 Stock Up: Kayshon Boutte
In Kayshon Boutte's case, his limited playing time on Friday night was a good thing.
Like the rest of New England's virtual roster locks, Boutte only played two drives in the team's win and has consistently been on the field alongside the likes of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins during training camp practice.
The LSU product has the inside track to a roster spot. A remarkable revelation considering his stance on the team as a rookie.
📉 Stock Down: Ja'Lynn Polk
It's been a rough go for second-year wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, who—after a bust-worthy 12-catch, 87-yard rookie season—missed the beginning of Patriots training camp after passing his initial physical. He underwent offseason shoulder surgery and was reportedly dealing with "minor muscle tightness."
Upon his return, Polk has seen some run with New England's second-team offense during practice, a trend that continued on Friday night. Unfortunately, he saw no targets in the pass game and, following his lone rushing attempt, left the game early with what looked to be a shoulder/arm injury. He did not return.
It's going to be an up-hill battle for the former second-round pick.
📈 Stock Up: Efton Chism III
A fan favorite who has already been in the film room crunching Danny Amendola tape, Efton Chism III saw a good amount of run with the Patriots' second offense against the Commanders—and made the most of it.
The undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington paced New England in receiving on the night, catching six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. All of which were team highs.
Chism was also New England's second punt returner behind Marcus Jones and returned one punt for 11 yards while wisely letting several more soar into the endzone for touchbacks.
It was an impressive night for the 23-year-old, who continues to make a case for himself on the final roster.
↔️ Hold: Javon Baker
Javon Baker has been on an upward trajectory since the start of training camp. Once thought to be a cut candidate, despite being one of the Patriots' two fourth-round picks from a season ago, the 6'1" pass-catcher has put together a highlight reel of plays over the last two weeks and is doing his best to make the front office's decision tough.
On Friday against the Commanders, however, it was Baker's work on special teams that was noteworthy. A constant presence on New England's third phase this summer, he started the game on the kickoff team and made a tackle on the opening kickoff. A fired-up Mike Vrabel then immediately greeted him as he approached the sideline. Baker then made another tackle on the punt team to close the second half.
The bad news? He didn't register a catch on two targets, and also missed a key block on the play that saw his teammate Ja'Lynn Polk leave early with an injury.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patriots WR Stock Watch: How Preseason Win Over Commanders Impacted Roster Battle.