Tag: Javon Baker

Patriots WR Javon Baker breaks silence on reason for concussion

Javon Baker feels “blessed” to have only suffered a concussion

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker revealed he was involved in a car accident last week.

The fourth-round draft pick out of UCF missed Sunday’s game after being placed in concussion protocol. When speaking with Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed, he revealed the reason for his head injury was from a “bad car accident.”

The good news is he’s feeling much better ahead of the Patriots’ Week 16 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

Kyed wrote on X:

Patriots rookie WR Javon Baker tells me he suffered his concussion last week in a bad car accident and that he feels “blessed” to have only walked out of it with a concussion. He’s now feeling good.

With only three games left on the regular season schedule, one would think the Patriots would make more of an effort to get Baker involved on offense. They had high expectations for him out of college, but he has struggled to get on the field.

It’s even more surprising considering the Patriots have one of the worst receiving corps in the league. Perhaps Baker will finally have a chance to make his mark with the season coming to a close.

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Patriots rookie WR showing strides in practice after being benched

Jerod Mayo claims rookie WR Javon Baker has made strides behind the scenes

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo had high praise for rookie Javon Baker, as the Patriots continue to look for depth at the wide receiver position.

Baker has not seen the field much this season. He received six snaps in the Patriots’ overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but he has not been on the field beyond that at receiver. Last week, he was in for five snaps on special teams against the New York Jets.

He has clearly impressed the coaching staff over the last couple of weeks, and he could have a shot to play on Sunday against a Titans defense that has been stingy against the pass this season. They allow the fewest passing yards in the NFL with 151.6 yards per game.

Mayo believes Baker’s shot could come on Sunday.

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

Baker has big-play ability and speed that allows him to make things happen after the catch. The Patriots have undergone a youth movement at the wide receiver position, and the rookie has the chance to be a building block for not only this season but the future as a whole.

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Patriots rookie’s confidence remains unshaken by sluggish NFL start

Javon Baker is still confident his time will come

New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker is excited to take on a potential new opportunity,

Fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk is currently in concussion protocol. That could open up an opportunity for Baker, who has appeared in only two games this season. Baker was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft and was thought to be a key piece for the Patriots’ offense.

Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte have seen many of the snaps at the wide receiver position. However, the injury to Polk may open up the opportunity for Baker to see extended playing time as well.

“Just a matter of time. Just a learning moment, it teaches me patience,” Baker told A to Z Sports. “It’s waiting. I’ve been waiting all my life for stuff like this anyway. I’ve been in this position either way. When I was in college, I was in a position. So it’s not a chip on my shoulder thing. It’s just being patient.”

Veteran wideout Tyquan Thornton is expected to factor back into the mix for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. Will the Patriots activate Baker as well for a chance to prove himself against a tough division rival?

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Patriots WR Javon Baker had four-word response to being inactive in Week 1

Javon Baker comments on being inactive in Week 1

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker commented on being inactive for the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.

Per coach Jerod Mayo, Baker needs to continue developing both on and off the field before he gets an opportunity to play in games.

This stems from an off-field incident with Baker receiving a ticket from a police officer. Baker then went live on social media and called out all police officers in Massachusetts in an angry rant. He later indicated that he did not regret what he said in the video, even after being punished by the team.

Baker appears to be taking a more measured approach to things now. He had a four-word response when asked about being inactive for Week 1.

“Motivates me a lot,” said Baker, via A to Z Sports’ Sophie Weller.

When asked if he believed his social media incident was the reason for him being inactive, Baker kept it simple with his follow-up response.

“I don’t know,” he told A to Z Sports. “You got to talk to Coach Mayo on that one. I don’t know. I’m just playing my role. Doing what I got to do.”

Baker has the athleticism and potential to be an impact playmaker at the wide receiver position. As long as he takes care of things off the field, he should be able to make a sizable impact on it.

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Jerod Mayo’s blunt reason for Javon Baker being inactive in Week 1

Jerod Mayo explains why Javon Baker was inactive

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was asked why rookie wide receiver Javon Baker was inactive in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It was a simple explanation from Mayo, who indicated the first-year wideout needed to develop both on and off the field.

“He just has to continue to progress and continue to develop, both on the field and off the field. And that’s my responsibility ultimately,” said Mayo.

Baker was involved in a social media incident at the beginning of the month. He went live on social media after receiving a traffic ticket and called out police officers in an angry rant. Baker indicated he did not regret his comments during the incident.

The UCF product was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

https://twitter.com/ByMarkDaniels/status/1833889948832801231

One has to wonder when Baker will eventually see the field and how long his development process will take. The wideout has a ton of potential, and he could be a valuable piece for a Patriots offense that needs all of the firepower it can get right now.

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Javon Baker has no regrets for social media comments that led to punishment

Javon Baker comments on his controversial social media video

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker has no regrets for saying the things he said in the controversial social media video that led to him being disciplined by the team.

Baker went live on social media in an angry rant and called out police officers in Massachusetts after receiving a traffic ticket. Patriots coach Jerod Mayo told media members the 22-year-old wideout had been punished, and his actions didn’t represent the views of the team.

When asked about the comments and if he had any regrets about what he said, Baker didn’t back down.

“Anybody that I needed to apologize to, or anything I needed to do, I already did,” Baker said, via Pro Football Network’s Dakota Randall. “At the end of the day, it’s a Coach Jerod question. …I don’t know, honestly, I guess more eyeballs are on me because I’m in the NFL. But if I regret anything I said, I wouldn’t have ever said it. So, I don’t regret nothing.”

Baker showed tremendous promise early in training camp, but he fell down the depth chart during the preseason games.

The Patriots are hopeful he can snap out of the slump and contribute on offense right away. They’d much rather see him make headlines for what he does on the football field instead of what he does off it.

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Patriots punish rookie WR Javon Baker for angry video rant

Rookie WR Javon Baker punished for social media rant

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo revealed on Monday that the team has punished rookie wide receiver Javon Baker for his angry Instagram live rant.

Baker went live in a social media video on Sunday after receiving a traffic ticket and called out police officers in Massachusetts.

“[This situation] in no way represents what the organization is about, in no way represents what we are about as a team or how Javon gets to go out there and represent himself,” Mayo said at a press conference. “We handled it internally. We had a great conversation. I think it’s a combination of his immaturity and just realizing the grand scheme. We’re on a big stage here.”

Baker isn’t expected to miss Sunday’s game. So whatever punishment was doled out wasn’t to the extent of the fourth-round pick wide receiver being suspended.

The Patriots are counting on Baker, along with rookie Ja’Lynn Polk, to contribute right out of the gates for the struggling receiving corps. Baker has seemingly fallen on the depth chart in training camp and the preseason.

There’s hope he can use this lesson as a chance to reset and get back to improving on the football field.

Patriots WR Javon Baker comments on potential matchup with Darius Slay

Javon Baker commented on facing a tough Eagles defense, including Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay

New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker acknowledged he’s just a rookie looking to see where he stacks up in the NFL. So he’s excited to face off against all of the Philadelphia Eagles cornerbacks, including six-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay.

The Patriots are set to scrimmage against the Eagles when the two teams hold a joint practice on Tuesday, and then they’ll face off in a preseason matchup on Thursday night.

Baker has had a strong training camp and made several notable catches. He hopes to make an immediate impact for the Patriots in the 2024 season and become a staple for the offense.

Slay is coming off a 2023 season that saw him make the Pro Bowl. He has made the Pro Bowl every year since 2021, and he is coming off a year that saw him tally 57 tackles and two interceptions.

Baker will certainly have his work cut out for him against the Eagles defensive backfield, but he is up for the challenge.

“I’m excited to match up against anybody. It don’t matter what corner. I’m a rookie, so I’ve just gotta see where I stack up against them. So I’m excited to play vs. anybody,” said Baker, via MassLive’s Chris Mason

This matchup will serve as a measuring stick not only for Baker but for all of the Patriots’ receivers.

The Eagles are expected to be one of the best teams in the NFC, and this is a great chance for the Patriots to build some real confidence heading into the season.

Dez Bryant takes notice of Patriots WR Javon Baker’s highlight play

This is content nobody expected

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker hasn’t even been in training camp for two weeks, and former All-Pro wideout Dez Bryant is already analyzing his game.

Bryant responded to a video of Baker’s one-on-one rep at training camp practice when he drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd after juking past a defender. The video was shared by SCOUTD but originally posted by Patriots on CLNS Media.

“The wideout first step was a slight out hard inside to get the defender to move off his spot… he reset the stem to control the defender to win on the slant,” Bryant posted on X.

New England is hoping to see more of these kinds of plays from Baker on the field during the regular season. They have struggled in recent years drafting and developing receivers.

ESPN’s Mike Clay even ranked the unit dead last out of 32 teams in his 2024 projections.

Baker has the potential to develop into a legitimate No. 1 option, which is something the Patriots have needed for years.

Along with K.J. Osborn, Ja’Lynn Polk and DeMario Douglas, Baker is part of the new wave of talent looking to silence the doubters and change the narrative surrounding Patriots’ receivers.

K.J. Osborn gives lofty comparison to Patriots’ rookie WR

K.J. Osborn gave a lofty comparison to a rookie teammate

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker has been turning heads in the first week of training camp.

His teammate, veteran wide receiver K.J. Osborn, went as far as comparing him to Pittsburgh Steelers’ star receiver George Pickens.

Pickens has been a big part of the Steelers offense so far in his career, tallying 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns last year.

Baker has been impressive in his own right with multiple eye-popping catches in one-on-ones and competitive team drills. It’s clear that Osborn sees something special in him.

“I told him he reminds me of George Pickens,” Osborn told reporters, via a team video. “Like bigger like that—really, really, really talented. Raw. You see him jump up and make big plays. He’s a rookie, so learning the offense, the details of it.

“I’m trying to tell him the type of people he’s going to face on Sunday. Especially in this division, we go against some really good corners. So it’s been really exciting to continue to see him continue to come along and make plays, and I think he’ll be a good player.”

Time will tell how Baker’s game ultimately translates to the NFL level.

However, his positive performances in training camp certainly carry some weight. Baker was drafted to bring depth and explosiveness to the Patriots’ offense, and he appears to be doing just that.