Patriots might be ready to let rookie wide receiver Javon Baker loose on offense

FOXBORO — Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo went out of his way to compliment his team’s crowded wide receiver room Friday.

That follows up a bad week for the Patriots’ group of young wideouts, who made headlines for all the wrong reasons leading up to and in the team’s Week 8 win over the Jets.

“I would say I was especially proud of the way the receivers responded throughout the week of practice, just the extra work that they put in in the classroom and also on the football field,” Mayo said Friday. “They had a great week of practice. We did 1-on-1s this week, they went out there and competed. They caught the ball well, and hopefully that transfers over to the game. So, we’re excited to see what those guys can do and excited for really just us as a team to learn how to string them together.

Mayo added, “I would say first, there weren’t a lot of balls on the ground. I think that was first and foremost, and that goes back to focus. I would also say those guys came out with good energy, knowing that the last week just wasn’t good enough. I think we all look forward to those guys going out and putting on a good performance.”

Patriots wide receivers dropped four passes against the Jets. That came after multiple wide receivers spoke out to the media about opportunities and potential trades.

Rookie wide receiver Javon Baker has mostly been working in silence through the first eight weeks of the season. The fourth-round pick has yet to record his first NFL catch but received an opportunity on kick returns las week.

“The last couple weeks, he’s put together great weeks of practice,” Mayo said of Baker. “Now, hopefully he gets an opportunity to go out there and play some receiver. He’s an explosive player. We need to see that on Sunday.”

The Patriots currently have seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster in Baker, fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk, second-year-pros Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas, 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton and veterans K.J. Osborn and Kendrick Bourne. Polk is out of concussion protocol and set to make his return after missing Week 8. Thornton, Osborn and Bourne have all been mentioned in trade talks.

The Patriots dressed six wide receivers last week, but Baker didn’t see any time on offense. Mayo was asked if the situation is reaching a breaking point where they’d want to get a young wide receiver like Baker on the field over a veteran like Osborn.

“It’s always tough, wanting to win now and also to develop players,” Mayo said. “But that’s something that we’ve had to deal with since training camp and earlier in the season. So, those guys do a good job though, preparing as if they’re the starters, and we’ll see what they can do.”

Boutte, Bourne and Douglas have emerged as starters, though Polk could cut into their playing time. Osborn and Thornton have lacked production, so it might be worth seeing what Baker could offer.