Patriots WR ranking shows that Drake Maye might be in for another up-and-down 2025

The New England Patriots have made some major improvements to the roster after agreeing to terms with some big-name free agents, but the lack of skill on the offensive side of the ball poses a problem for young quarterback Drake Maye heading into his first full season as the starting quarterback.

Maye will lean on the services of veteran standout Stefon Diggs after he signed a three-year contract, but the lack of standout depth at wide receiver outside of Maye could pose a genuine problem for this offense. Unless Diggs turns back the clock, this will be a well-below-average group of pass-catchers on display.

Pro Football Focus ranked the Patriots as the second-worst wide receiver room in the league, as the only one ranked below them is a Cleveland Browns team that is considered to be among the favorites to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Outside of Diggs, there is not one sure thing in this group. Any team that has DeMario Douglas second or third on the team in targets is going to find it fairly difficult to sneak into the playoff picture in what has become a very crowded AFC.

Patriots ranked as second-worst wide receiver room in NFL by PFF

Veteran Mack Hollins has had some big catches in the past, but he has never had the volume or consistency needed to make the Patriots think he is worthy of being a high-profile target in this offense. Hollins, who crossed paths with Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, has just one year with more than 400 yards.

New England is banking on either third-round rookie Kyle Williams or second-year disappointment Ja'Lynn Polk breaking out. For all their many positives, Williams might be confined to the slot due to his size, and Polk was so bad last season that next to no playing time will be guaranteed.

Diggs showed last year with the Texans that he can still be a very dynamic target, but given his age and major knee injury, it remains hard to believe that he could be the game-changing weapon that Patriots fans may remember seeing from his time in Buffalo.

Maye could end up being good enough on his own merit to overcome these issues and lead the Patriots to wins, but the lack of perimeter talent could become an issue for him when it comes to reaching his ceiling in 2025.