The Patriots' biggest offseason priority this winter and spring was surrounding second-year quarterback Drake Maye with plenty of talent. Eliot Wolf certainly did that on both sides of the ball via free agency and the draft, and on paper, the Patriots' roster coming into the 2025 season is light years better than last year's.
It doesn't hurt that the Patriots also reconstructed their coaching staff, bringing in experienced voices in Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels to help turbocharge Maye in his second year. Some even believe the Patriots can challenge for a Wild Card berth in a crowded AFC, as Maye looks to improve on a solid rookie campaign.
However, some experts continue to question whether the Patriots did enough to support their second-year quarterback, particularly at the wide receiver position. That's what ESPN's Dan Graziano is thinking as the Patriots head into the 2025 season.
Drake Maye out to prove that his supporting cast will indeed be good enough
The biggest question Graziano noted was the fact that the Patriots missed out on wide receiver Chris Godwin, who stayed in Tampa Bay and wound up signing Stefon Diggs instead. Godwin ultimately took a pay cut to stay with the Buccaneers, while Diggs secured a three-year deal with the Patriots.
There are a couple of arguments that the Patriots made the right decision here and that Graziano will be proven wrong.
For one, even though Diggs is coming off a torn ACL, he has looked explosive in minicamp and appears to be on track to be on the field come Week 1. Godwin also suffered a serious injury in 2024, dislocating his ankle. Godwin's injury is far more challenging to come back from than that of Diggs, and that's a big reason why the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka.
The other thing is that Diggs is a bona fide No. 1 receiver, and he has been throughout his entire career. As talented as Godwin is, he's been the No. 2 to Mike Evans' No. 1 his entire career, and you have to wonder how he'd fare if all the attention from opposing defenses were drawn to him. That certainly hasn't been the case in Tampa Bay.
Maye will also have the benefit of explosive rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams joining the Patriots, an improved offensive line, and quality coaching in McDaniels and Vrabel. Until New England's wide receiver group has a breakout regular-season game, the questions will understandably persist.
However, the Patriots did plenty to help Maye this offseason on both sides of the ball, and hopefully, the results on the field will speak for themselves.