The New England Patriots shocked the NFL and went from a dismal 4-13 record in 2024 all the way to Super Bowl LX last year. The Cinderella season ended with a thud as the Patriots were outplayed by the clearly superior Seattle Seahawks..
One Patriot who showed up throughout the season was quarterback Drake Maye. He showed a great capacity for connecting on long pass plays, leading the entire NFL in yards per attempt, but due to breakdowns in pass protection they were few and far between when it mattered most in the postseason.
Quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant believes that the arrival of wide receiver A.J. Brown as a true home-run hitter could help open up Maye's game and take it to an even higher level.
“It gives him a little bit of confidence knowing that he has someone who’s had success throughout his career in the NFL doing something that Drake excels at," Grant said. "It’s just exciting for the entire offense. … It dictates coverages and gives you favorable matchups across the board. So, I think everybody on offense is excited.”
#Patriots QBs coach Ashton Grant on Drake Maye acquiring a deep threat in AJ Brown:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) June 7, 2026
“It gives him a little bit of confidence knowing that he has someone who’s had success throughout his career in the NFL doing something that Drake excels at… It’s just exciting for the entire… pic.twitter.com/1mgg33chbt
A.J. Brown could help unleash Drake Maye's downfield passing
Maye was arguably the NFL's best passer in 2025, as demonstrated by his 72 percent completion percentage, often under extreme duress. Yet, even Brown's talented presence can't impact the offensive line's ability to protect their franchise quarterback and provide him with the time he needs to unleash his patented long throws down the field.
While the team made a series of changes and upgrades to the offensive line this offseason, the 2026 group remains a serious question mark. The Patriots added a guard who's a top talent in Alijah Vera-Tucker, but he's struggled with injuries throughout his career. They also added first-round tackle Caleb Lomu, but he projects as a top reserve this year behind starters Will Campbell and Morgan Moses.
Hopefully the Patriots have done enough this offseason to fix their 2025 shortcomings. If their protection issues persist, Maye's ability to run and escape trouble could still allow for deep connections to Brown, Romeo Doubs, and others, but that's also risky business.
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