The New England Patriots entered the 2026 offseason with several key needs to fill. They included adding offensive linemen, tight ends, and edge defenders. They addressed all of those needs to some extent, but none seem to be in tip-top shape at the moment.
One position in good hands is quarterback, with young star Drake Maye entering his third year in the league.
Mike Vrabel was asked recently about Maye's development, and the Patriots' head coach likes what he sees.
"Yeah, I think we have seen growth in a lot of players, especially some of the younger ones, which I would consider Drake, going into his third year, one of those younger players," Vrabel said. "I think that Josh [McDaniels] and Ashton [Grant] have given him some really positive things to work on, some areas of focus, and being able to try to limit mistakes at the line of scrimmage, right? Get us in the best play. Not that we are going to be perfect, but being able to use every resource that we have to get us into the right play and be able to give us an option to have a positive play. Whether [the defense is] pressuring or they are in a look that is not advantageous to the play, we do not want to be tentative, so there is a fine line of that. But I think expanding some of that into the second year of the system has been good to see here in the spring."
Mike Vrabel believes Drake Maye is taking another step in his command of the Patriots' offense
Seeing growth from Drake Maye is no surprise. He's maturing before the eyes of his coaching staff, Patriots fans, and everyone observing the NFL. Maye has reportedly looked physically stronger and more confident, and he's assuming the mantle of leadership that an NFL quarterback must take on for an offense to achieve all its goals.
Maye's 2025 season was MVP-caliber in almost every way. He missed getting the coveted award by one vote.
Adding A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs gives Maye and the Patriots a vastly improved wide receiver depth chart for 2026. While the season-ending injury to tight end Julian Hill is a major cause for concern, it's assumed the Patriots will add to the position soon, as Vrabel has alluded.
But the big issue, as it was in 2025, is still the offensive line, which surrendered 47 regular-season sacks (and another whopping 21 in the playoffs, wrecking the Super Bowl in the process). In comparison, Matthew Stafford, who won the MVP over Maye, was sacked only 23 times.
The Patriots are depending on former New York Jets No. 14 overall draft pick Alijah Vera-Tucker to help fill the massive hole at left guard. They also drafted standout pass-blocking offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. The depth across the board, however, remains paper-thin.
Drake Maye's development in 2025 was clear as day. The Patriots will need that to continue this year to remain among the NFL's elite.
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