The Patriots' 2024 season will not be remembered fondly by anyone for good reason, with one notable exception: the impressive start to rookie quarterback Drake Maye's NFL career. Although he didn't take the field until Week 6, his performance against some of the toughest opponents with virtually nothing to work with made it easy to see he had the potential to be the Patriots' next franchise quarterback.
It had been a long time coming for New England to finally look like they had their quarterback of the future, and fortunately for them, the other prospect they had been long connected to, Jayden Daniels, also put together a masterful rookie season. That meant they would have had a productive year, regardless of the outcome.
Although Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship, and the Patriots missed the playoffs, he has earned rave reviews for his accomplishments in his first year and projects to be even more impressive this upcoming season. So much so that Ben Solak of ESPN made the bold prediction that he can have a season reminiscent of Daniels' rookie year.
"However, despite New England’s poor record and so-so numbers (2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions), Patriots fans have just as much reason to be optimistic about Maye as Commanders fans do about Daniels.
Jayden Daniels had a historically productive rookie quarterback season. The Commanders’ fan base and team brass should feel confident and inspired about the future of the position. However, I’m still as — if not more — impressed by how well Drake Maye played on that terrible Patriots offense last season.”
That's exactly what fans will want to hear as the Mike Vrabel era officially begins. Knowing that the new regime has done a noteworthy job in surrounding Maye with the talent needed to achieve a second-year boost only makes Solak's prediction even more accurate. However, the analyst elaborated further on his take, which provides even more for fans to look forward to this fall.
Drake Maye projects to be an even bigger star for the Patriots in Year 2
Beyond the prediction of Maye having a Daniels-esque second season in 2025, Solak made an even more potentially controversial statement in the eyes of those outside of New England by sharing he feels Maye might have had a more impressive rookie year than the quarterback chosen before him in the draft.
Because of that, Solak suggests Patriots fans should feel even more confident in the future under Maye and what he can do for the team moving forward, all of which is considered Solak's boldest take yet.
"Here's something I struggle to put into words. (Yes, always good to write that sentence just before publishing something.) Jayden Daniels had a historically productive rookie quarterback season. The Commanders' fan base and team brass should feel confident and inspired about the future of the position. However, I'm still as -- if not more -- impressed by how well Drake Maye played on that terrible Patriots offense last season.
Statistically, he didn't hold a candle. But degree of difficulty? Maye was playing a completely different sport. I'll put it this way and hope metropolitan D.C. doesn't come for my head: Patriots fans should feel as confident and inspired about their future at quarterback as Commanders fans do right now."
How much more optimistic can Patriots fans be with predictions like this?
Maye put on a show last year, even if the stat lines don't seem to back that up, and proved he was the real deal despite the unfortunate circumstances he was drafted into. Going into the 2025 season with a much-improved offensive line, upgraded receiving corps, and better coaching, the sky is the limit for what the quarterback can accomplish.
Will it yield a season similar to Daniels' with the Commanders last year? Who knows. But the fact that some believe it could is exciting enough.