FOXBORO, Mass. — Jalen Reagor arrived to New England on Aug. 31, 2023, looking to get his career back on track.
Did anyone expect much out of him?
No.
The Philadelphia Eagles used a 2020 first-round pick on Reagor, who quickly flamed out and was traded to the Minnesota Vikings following his second season. It took just one year catching passes from Kirk Cousins for him to once again find himself without a home, before the Patriots stepped in and signed him to the practice squad.
New England seemingly was just doing its due diligence with the move, following a staple of its team-building philosophy under Bill Belichick. The Patriots didn’t get immediate results back, either, as the 25-year-old’s tenure could probably best be described as helpful, yet wholly unimpressive.
Reagor is still around, though, and believes he can do more.
“I’ve grown, just in general,” Reagor said Wednesday, following the Patriots’ first training camp practice. “When I got into the league, I was young. It was kind of overwhelming for me, but I’m kind of honing in and everything is slowing down.”
New England likely will keep Reagor around, if not only for the fact his ability to return kicks has become more valuable under recent rule changes. Reagor knows there’s plenty of opportunity in the receiver room, though, and showed within minutes of camp that he’s looking to become an offensive contributor.
Reagor made six catches throughout team drills, including one that got a huge pop from the crowd.
Drake Maye dropped a beautiful pass along the right sideline, where Reagor was streaking all alone to make a nice one-handed grab.
“It was just a routine passing concept,” Reagor said. “I seen the ball and I did my best to catch it.”
It was a great example of maximizing opportunities, as working with the second unit allowed Reagor to connect with Maye and start to build a rapport. The Patriots will eventually make the transition to their rookie, and making him comfortable will be the top priority.
Reagor’s priority, though, will be continuing to build on a solid first day.
“I ain’t trying to prove nothing,” Reagor said. “I know I’m a great player, which is why people ask. If you have no expectations of me, that means you don’t think I’m a good player, but you do, which means you think I’m a good player.”
