The Patriots kicked off training camp on Wednesday morning, and they proved to be off to a much better spot than they were at this point just one year ago. While some weaker parts of the practice will surely need to be addressed, one of the biggest (and best) takeaways from the day was Drake Maye's performance.
Other than having a nearly perfect day, missing just one completion, it was already clear who would become his number one go-to target. It's not entirely surprising, as he was brought in to be just that on offense, but the connection between Maye and Stefon Diggs is already looking solid well before Week 1.
It could be a result of their offseason training, which the quarterback set up with several of his teammates, or it could be partly due to just how good Diggs is even coming off a mid-season ACL tear. However, the chemistry between the two is already apparent, and that will inevitably create a much more exciting offense to watch this fall.
Drake Maye was asked if he had immediate trust in Stefon Diggs on the field. Maye said, yes, and compared it to what he had with Hunter Henry, among others.
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) July 23, 2025
“It’s me trying to earn trust from them.”#Patriots pic.twitter.com/5UOWFVKGyi
The Patriots offense gets a much-needed spark in the effortless connection between Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs
After news broke that Diggs would not start training camp on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list with some of his teammates and would be a full-go for practice, there was a lot of excitement about seeing the first real pass from Maye to the receiver.
We finally got to see it on Wednesday morning, as Diggs caught Maye's first pass of the day, and another during 11-on-11 drills. It looked like they had been teammates for a while, and Maye expressed his appreciation for having that caliber of talent to work with for the upcoming season.
“Anytime an All-Pro and player like that, he made some plays out here today, it’s awesome getting to throw to a player like that. Even when you feel like he’s not open, he’s going to go make a play for you. Tight coverage – he’s a strong receiver who’s going to make plays.”
LIVE: Drake Maye Press Conference 7/23: https://t.co/t7KQgStu04
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 23, 2025
It might have only been a couple of plays in the midst of many more, but it was already an excellent showcase of what is to come for the Patriots offense.
Maye is coming into his own as a leader and has already earned the respect of his teammates, which is significant given he is only in his second season and just 22 years old. Diggs has played with various quarterbacks, some as notable as Josh Allen, so the fact that he's working so seamlessly with Maye is an exciting yet not entirely unexpected development.
It might be considered premature to suggest the best is yet to come, but it also doesn't feel too presumptuous to believe, considering the talent the offense has and the potential of what Maye can do this year under the new guidance of Vrabel and OC Josh McDaniels.
It's another layer to what excites fans after back-to-back disastrous seasons in New England, so this provides an even bigger sliver of hope that 2025 will be the year we've been waiting for, five years in the making.