#drake-maye

#drake-maye

It was crucial that the new regime in New England addressed the group this offseason to help put Drake Maye in good position to succeed in his second year, which they appear to have accomplished to a certain degree. Stefon Diggs has been a great addition, along with the rise of Kayshon Boutte, both of whom have had back-to-back 100-yard games over the last two weeks.

From Ben Coates to Rob Gronkowski, the New England Patriots have been spoiled with spectacular tight end play for generations. A lack of productivity at that position was glaring when Gronkowski retired before the 2019 season, but two years later, the arrival of Hunter Henry produced a turbocharge.

I thought bro was like right behind me and that's what made me move.

Between his solid rapport with Drake Maye, his knack for torching defensive backs during training camp, or Josh McDaniels' track record of relying heavily on shifty slot receivers in his offense, DeMario Douglas seemed poised for a breakout season with New England this fall. But through two games, Douglas has looked more like an afterthought than a focal point of New England's revamped offense.

The jitteriness and high throws were gone. He got his share of layups early and used his running ability to compliment his solid decision-making on throws. He scooted away from ex-Patriot Matthew Judon for a touchdown run. He hit Kayshon Boutte for a 16-yard touchdown pass, and also got Mack Hollins involved for his first Patriots touchdown. Maye spread the ball around efficiently and effectively, finishing the game 19-of-23 for 230 passing yards, all without a turnover.

Game-changing wide receivers have evaded being signed by the Patriots for as long as most can remember, and it was clear that pattern needed to end going into the 2025 season. Mike Vrabel was very aware of that, and that explains why they chose to sign Stefon Diggs in free agency. His addition to the offensive roster had many fans excited, as Drake Maye would finally have the caliber of weapon that could immediately elevate their performance on day one.

Hope has been renewed in Foxborough, with the arrival of Mike Vrabel as head coach and plenty of roster turnover raising expectations for a team that has posted back-to-back four-win seasons. But as the Patriots open regular-season action on Sunday afternoon against the Raiders, there are still plenty of question marks surrounding a team looking to re-establish itself as a playoff contender.