Javon Baker did plenty of talking after the New England Patriots drafted the wide receiver in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft. He felt there weren't 10 receivers better than him not just in the NFL, but the entire country.

Baker hasn't exactly backed up that chatter with his play on the field, though.

In fact, after two preseason games and a slew of training camp practices, Baker's stock is heading in the wrong direction. The 22-year-old has struggled with drops in the preseason, including when he couldn't come up with a perfectly thrown deep ball from Drake Maye in last week's exhibition game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

But that's not the only issue NESN's George Balekji had with Baker, which he discussed on Thursday's episode of "Boston Has Entered The Chat."

"He got the crap beat out of him right off the snap at the line of scrimmage and pushed off his route," Balekji said. "... That's a glimpse into the struggles he has. He's a fourth-round pick. This guy coming into the season at best was going to be a wide receiver-three. So, he starts as a wide receiver-four or five, it's not that bad.

"And this a reminder, it's about situations that support young quarterbacks, especially rookie quarterbacks. The situation, the wide receiver room, is still not good and Javon Baker is a glimpse into why."

Baker's big-play potential would be useful to an uninspiring Patriots offense, but the UCF product will have to get on the field first. It's projected that he's behind DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, K.J. Osborn and fellow rookie Ja'Lynn Polk on the depth chart.

That leaves Baker to battle with Jalen Reagor for New England's fifth wide receiver spot. And Baker could have his already limited playing time in the regular season squeezed even more whenever Kendrick Bourne returns.

Coming out of college, New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker was a player who had a ton of athleticism and could make impressive plays, but he often dealt with drops.

Throughout training camp and into the preseason, things haven't looked too dissimilar for the 22-year-old.

He's made eye-popping catches, but he's also been unable to bring in some that could help out his quarterback whether they be easy or difficult to bring in.

In last week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had a chance to make an incredible catch that would've been the offense's best play of the game and could've won it for the Patriots. Instead, he was unable to secure the ball, as he went to the ground, and New England was forced to punt.

Up-and-down performances happen in the NFL. That's just part of playing at this level, and veteran wideout K.J. Osborn is trying to pass that message along to Baker.

"It's football, man, " Osborn said. "He's a rookie. This is one of his first times getting out there and really getting some opportunities to make some plays. You can't make them all. With that said, we got back on the practice field. I think he had a really good catch today. Continue to stay in his book and just keep stacking the good days. Good game, bad game, you wanna win them all, but you might not win them all. You gotta turn the page."

Baker has the potential to be a legitimate weapon in New England's offense and consistency is the key for him. Like a quarterback after an interception, he'll need to have a short memory and show out on his next rep.

Baker's Struggles Reflect Larger Issues for Patriots Offense

The Patriots are just a matter of weeks from beginning the 2024 regular season with cutdown day and the end of the preseason fast approaching next week.

Of all the narratives throughout the offseason and training camp, one of the most closely watched positions was the wide receiver group after it bottomed out in 2023 and the team double dipped on receivers in the draft.

As training camp progresses, the Patriots must address Baker's performance issues and potentially make roster adjustments. The team could seek additional reinforcements either through trades or later rounds of free agency as they aim to solidify the wide receiver group.

The Patriots face an uphill battle in enhancing their wide receiver corps, and Baker's declining status reflects broader issues within the team's offensive strategy. If improvements are not made soon, the 2024 season risks being another disappointing chapter in the post-Brady era.

The Road Ahead for Baker and the Patriots

The New England Patriots are grappling with significant struggles in their wide receiver lineup as they head into the 2024 season. After selecting rookie wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the draft, expectations have not matched reality. Baker has been performing poorly in training camp, causing him to drop to a projected No. 4 or 5 spot on the depth chart, especially with the imminent return of teammate Kendrick Bourne. This situation exemplifies ongoing challenges for the team as they seek to improve their roster after losing star quarterback Tom Brady.