Patriots buying and selling WR Jay’Lynn Polk to Saints, supply confirms

The New Orleans Saints are trading for New England Patriots wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.

Polk, a 2024 second-round pick, is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

The Saints will receive Polk and a 2028 seventh-round pick, while the Patriots will receive a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Polk was selected 37th overall after the Patriots had traded down three spots, giving up the No. 34 pick to the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected receiver Ladd McConkey.

The deal came back to haunt New England as McConkey went on to have a stellar rookie season and Polk struggled to emerge, particularly after a Week 5 home loss to the Dolphins when what was initially ruled a touchdown to Polk late in the fourth quarter was instead overturned on replay to an incompletion when Polk didn’t get his right heel down. The Patriots lost the game, 15-10.

With a new coaching staff under Mike Vrabel taking over in 2025, Polk was in jeopardy of not making the initial 53-man roster before sustaining a shoulder injury that landed him on injured reserve.

This is the second wide receiver trade the Saints have made in the past month. They acquired Denver Broncos wideout Devaughn Vele in August. In return, Denver received a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

The Athletic first reported on the Saints’ trade for Polk.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.