McConkey is already the Patriots’ next big draft fumble

Patriots

The Patriots’ decision to trade the pick used to select McConkey and draft Ja’Lynn Polk has not aged well.

At this point you know the names.

AJ Brown. DK Metcalf. Deebo Samuel.

The Patriots’ inability to recruit impact players has played a crucial role in the franchise’s descent from Super Bowl contender to AFC cellar-dweller.

To twist the knife even further, draft busts like N’Keal Harry, Joejuan Williams and Tyquan Thornton were brought to Foxborough instead of legitimate star talent like the aforementioned trio of top wideouts.

And now it looks like Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey is ready to join that growing list of “what ifs?” Players who missed out on New England on draft day.

The shifty Chargers receiver has already become a top target for Justin Herbert in Los Angeles – he has 69 catches for 960 receiving yards and five touchdowns as early as 2024.

McConkey has now recorded at least 50 receiving yards in eight consecutive games, the longest streak for a rookie since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014.

The sight of McConkey routinely moving the chains with the Chargers is particularly painful for New England. This is not only due to the Patriots’ largely hitless receiving corps, but also because Los Angeles drafted McConkey with a second-round pick (No. 34) that was originally held by the Patriots.

The Chargers received this No. 34 pick as part of an NFL Draft deal with New England, with the Patriots trading this second-round selection and the 137th pick to Los Angeles in exchange for the No. 37 and No. 110 picks .

The move allowed the Chargers to acquire McConkey, while New England selected Ja’Lynn Polk three picks later before adding another wideout in Javon Baker with the 110th pick.

It was a move that quickly became a disaster for New England.

Not only did McConkey thrive from the start with the Chargers, but both Polk and Baker showed very little in Foxborough – even with Drake Mayes’ emergence as quarterback.

Polk has just 12 catches, totaling just 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Baker only appeared in eight games for New England, recording zero catches and only two goals.

McConkey alone recorded six catches for 87 yards in the Chargers’ final game against the Broncos, matching Polk and Baker’s catch-yard total all season.

Despite Jerod Mayo’s emphasis on getting the rookies more playing time in the future, neither Polk nor Baker have made much of an impact on New England’s game plans in the last month. Polk only played a total of three snaps on offense in last Sunday’s road loss to the Bills.

“Like I said, starting as a rookie, it’s not always the case that you have success in your first year. It takes some time to get used to the professional game,” Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said of Polk on Thursday. “Again, lots of confidence in Polk. Baker too.

“I’m excited to get these guys going. If we can do it this year, great. If not, an offseason to help them learn the system. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to. You just have to prove to yourself that you can get out of there. That’s what we continue to promote with Polk. I’m not down on him at all.”

To make matters worse, the Chargers also benefited from the fifth-round pick (No. 137 overall) that the Patriots handed them in this trade – they selected cornerback Tarheeb Still out of Maryland. Still has already made 10 starts for the Chargers, recording four interceptions and 10 pass breakups.

Now the Patriots will have to deal with McConkey and Still on Saturday when the Chargers come to Gillette Stadium.

“We did some work on him (before the draft),” Jerod Mayo said of McConkey on Thursday. “A guy who can open up coverage versus man-to-man coverage. He’s playing well at the moment. He also does a good job of finding space in zone coverage. He’s definitely a player to keep an eye on.”

While the presence of a shifty slot receiver like DeMario Douglas may have made McConkey a less attractive draft target for New England over Polk, it’s hard to ignore the stats – and significant upside – that McConkey already boasts on the roster .

Even though Maye shows promise, the Patriots are still looking for a proven No. 1 receiver. Since Julian Edelman accomplished that feat in 2019, New England hasn’t had a wideout rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.