New England Patriots - NESN.com
There are a lot of reasons for optimism surrounding the New England Patriots as they head into the 2025 campaign. It’s clear, though, that the biggest reason for optimism is second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
After getting selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye suited up for 13 games, throwing for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 421 yards and another pair of scores on 54 carries.
While it is a bit of a limited sample size, Maye’s play was so encouraging because of what he managed to do with the Patriots’ barren offense in 2024. After the front office made some significant upgrades over the offseason, there’s reason to believe that a big season could be in store for Maye.
In fact, that’s precisely what New England is looking for from the former North Carolina Tar Heels star. According to a recent report, the Pats strongly believe that Maye is ready to take a big step forward after getting his first taste of the NFL last year.
“There’s strong internal belief that quarterback Drake Maye will take another step forward, as the 2024 first-round pick had an impressive initial offseason with coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels,” Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported.
New faces are aplenty on the Patriots’ offense heading into the new season. Rookies Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson are expected to make an immediate impact, while free agent signings Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury are all set to start come Week 1.
Put that all together, and Maye’s supporting cast is much improved from last season. It may take some time for the unit to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, but if they can, Maye could make the improvements that the Pats believe he is capable of.
