Quarterback is far and away the most scrutinized position in professional sports, especially when you get into a championship-or-bust market such as New England. The Patriots are confident they have found their next franchise quarterback in Drake Maye, and a solid rookie year, despite a pitiful roster, was proof of that.
Eager to improve from back-to-back 4-13 seasons, Eliot Wolf, Robert Kraft, and Mike Vrabel restructured the roster this offseason, determined to bring playmakers to New England. They certainly did that, bringing in receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency and drafting Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kyle Williams.
The combination of the new cast plus the talent that Maye features has many believing that the quarterback will vastly improve on his 15-touchdown, 2,220-yard passing efforts from his rookie campaign. And even though the Patriots have question marks at other spots in the offense, Maye is the engine that makes it go. The playmakers are irrelevant if the quarterback doesn't perform.
If Drake Maye stays stuck in neutral, the Patriots' offense will not thrive
Some of the biggest questions surrounding the Patriots include the rebuilt receiving corps, whether Diggs can return to being a top-tier wideout after coming off a torn ACL, and whether the rebuilt offensive line can build a fortress around their quarterback.
It's up to Maye to take things up a notch, and he knows it. The Patriots made all these changes in the offseason with their second-year passer in mind, and the confidence that he'll be the franchise guy for years to come. Josh McDaniels is the type of offensive coordinator who can bring out the best in a quarterback, and the case in point is that Mac Jones' one competent season as an NFL starter came with McDaniels leading the Patriots' offense.
Fortunately for the Patriots, Maye knows that he has to perform, and that last-place finishes don't cut it in Boston and New England. The last thing the franchise needs is another reset, and if Maye doesn't perform, the Patriots could be facing that possibility. And that's the last thing the Krafts want to see.
This is Drake Maye's team, and it all starts and finishes with him. And if he doesn't get it done, the Patriots will continue to be mired in inconsistency.