As preseason starts, Mike Vrabel wasted no time showing off the Patriots’ prized quarterback, Drake Maye. The Gillette crowd didn’t have to wait long for fireworks either. TreVeyon Henderson took the opening kickoff 100 yards to the house. He set the tone for a blowout 48-18 win over the Commanders. While that kind of start had Foxborough buzzing, not everything in New England was picture-perfect.
Their preseason momentum comes at a cost. Vrabel confirmed that All-Pro corner Christian Gonzalez will sit out this week’s practices and the upcoming trip to Minnesota. He will join only as a non-participant due to a hamstring injury. Second-year wideout Ja’Lynn Polk won’t even make the journey. For a team building rhythm around a QB like Maye, losing offensive and defensive weapons this early isn’t ideal.
Polk’s setback comes after a rough Friday night against Washington. He disappeared into the medical tent in the first half and never returned. On the other hand, Gonzalez’s hamstring issue has already sidelined him for days. Analyst Mike Kadlick didn’t sugarcoat the concern, saying, “I was in the postgame show where, yeah, he’s just missed so much time. And we already know this wide receiver battle is very tight.” With competition heating up, even a short absence can feel like a giant step backward.
In Kadlick’s view, Javon Baker and Efton Chisholm are trending up while Polk sits on the outside looking in. A serious injury could see him land on injured reserve — a risky scenario for a second-rounder who likely wouldn’t survive a practice squad cut. As Kadlick put it bluntly, “So it looks like this could end up being a redshirt sophomore year for him, unfortunately.”
Not only is this timing brutal for Polk, but it’s magnified by the fact he was already on the roster bubble heading into camp. Missing meaningful reps now could crush his chances of making the final 53. And unfortunately for Drake Maye and the Patriots, Polk’s injury isn’t the only scar they’ll have to carry into the weeks ahead.
More bad news for Drake Maye and the Patriots?
To make matters worse for Foxborough, the Patriots are limping into joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings this week. On Sunday evening, the team confirmed some important updates on two undrafted rookie free agents. Running back Lan Larison and fullback Brock Lampe have been placed on injured reserve. While safety Josh Minkins was waived by the Patriots on Sunday. So that’s another hurdle to clear before Week 1, Maye is struggling.
But how had Larison’s roster push come to an abrupt stop? The rookie back, who impressed in the preseason opener while fighting for the RB4 spot, left Friday’s game early and was later spotted in a walking boot. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported, Larison will undergo surgery for a foot injury in the coming days. That’s a frustrating blow considering how well he had been trending. Meanwhile, Lampe, too, joined the list of IR two weeks ago for undisclosed reasons.
But Minkins’ situation unfolded a little differently. He suited up for Friday’s blowout win over Washington, making three tackles, one of them solo. Now, he’s headed to waivers. If no other team grabs him, there’s a solid shot he sticks around in New England.
However, the Patriots wasted no time filling the roster holes, adding running back Deneric Prince and defensive end Jereme Robinson. Prince, a UDFA in 2023, logged two games for the Chiefs on special teams before bouncing to the Dolphins’ practice squad and later the UFL’s Memphis Showboats. Robinson, fresh out of Kansas, joined the Bears earlier this year before being cut off ahead of camp.
Now, it’s up to Mike Vrabel to figure out how these moves shake out for Drake Maye and the Patriots as they prep for the next slate of preseason action.