FOXBORO — Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been impressed with rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk’s training camp as the 2024 regular season is quickly approaching.

Polk, a second-round pick out of Washington, has regularly been running with the Patriots’ first-team offense in training camp.

“He’s a competitor. He has unbelievable ball skills,” Van Pelt told reporters Thursday. “He’s tough. He does the dirty work in the run game. Really smart player as well. Really, really happy with where he is right now.”

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Polk has a unique mindset when attacking contested catches.

“I feel like just having that ball skills, it’s a mindset,” Polk said Friday. “Whenever the ball’s in the air, you have to have a certain type of mindset when it’s in there. I always see it as ‘It’s money in the air. It’s free money.’ So either you’re going to go get it or your pockets are going to be empty.”

Polk has proven to be one of the Patriots’ best and most dependable wide receivers this summer, so he should be in the starting offense. It’s unclear which wide receivers will start Week 1 against the Bengals, however.

It appears so far that DeMario Douglas will be in the slot, and Tyquan Thornton will be the team’s top “X” receiver. Polk has been sharing the “Z” role in the first-team unit with veteran K.J. Osborn.

Douglas shined as a rookie last season after being selected in the sixth round out of Liberty. Thornton, a 2022 second-round pick, was viewed as a player on the roster bubble coming into the summer after a tough start to his career. Van Pelt seems to be a fan of Thornton’s combination of size and speed.

Veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne would be a top candidate to start if he didn’t remain on the PUP list. Head coach Jerod Mayo hasn’t revealed if Bourne will be activated before Tuesday’s cutdown date, though it’s looking unlikely since he has yet to practice this summer.

Javon Baker, a 2024 fourth-round pick out of UCF, is viewed as a lock to make the roster. Baker started strong in training camp but has struggled with drops in recent weeks. Jalen Reagor, a 2020 first-round pick by the Eagles, and Kayshon Boutte, another 2023 sixth-round pick, are also vying for roles and roster spots.

Kawaan Baker, Matt Landers and undrafted rookie David Wallis are longshots for the 53-man roster, barring something unforeseen.