The New England Patriots are one of the winners from the offseason. Not only did they hire former NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel, but they also went on a free-agency spending spree that included the additions of defensive tackle Milton Williams, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and cornerback Carlton Davis.
The Patriots' offseason was completed with Drake Maye in mind, as this organization acts under the belief that it has a prospective franchise quarterback worth building around. While Maye went 3-9 as the starter and threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first NFL season, he made several fans by how he plays the game. In fact, he made a fan of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who he replaced as an alternate in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.
"I think Drake is super talented, he's one of my favorite young quarterbacks in the league," Allen told SI.com in a Q&A. "I've spent some time around him and he's got his head on his shoulders the right way. He just does things the right way. I think that he exemplifies football. He'll take it and run, he'll throw it and to have someone like Stefon (Diggs) is going to help him out a lot."
Allen played four seasons with Diggs in Buffalo, and in their first year together, Diggs led the NFL in both receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He had a major hand in helping Allen elevate his game from "interesting prospect" to one of the best quarterbacks in the league and NFL MVP. Maybe Diggs can do something similar for Maye.
"I think (Diggs) brings a lot of security for Drake," Allen said. "Obviously, having the knowledge of playing in the league for so long, he has that veteran mentorship that he can give to Drake."
Maye played with arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL in 2024, and one of the worst wide receiver rooms as well. Still, he recorded the fifth-highest completion percentage by a rookie all time (66.6%). Now, Maye has Diggs, Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins to throw to, a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels and a few new starters on the offensive line as well, such as left tackle Will Campbell, center Garrett Bradbury and right tackle Morgan Moses. The infrastructure is taking shape.
