The New England Patriots had plenty of surprises during the 2025 season but few were more pleasant than the jump from Drake Maye. After a promising rookie year, Maye became an Most Valuable Player award candidate in his second season and is looking to continue that growth entering the 2026 campaign.
But just as Maye was looking to take another step forward, the Patriots raised the stakes by acquiring A.J. Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. One of the NFL’s most accomplished targets, Brown gives New England the No. 1 wideout they’ve been looking for. However, it also puts pressure on Maye to make sure he doesn’t regress in 2026.
A.J. Brown could help Drake Maye cash in big after 2026 season
If Maye plays like he did in 2025, there shouldn’t be a problem. Maye took statistical leaps across the board, leading the NFL with a 72 percent completion rate, 8.9 yards per attempts and 9.5 air yards per attempt while leading New England to a 14-3 record. That accomplishment is even more impressive considering his top targets were an aging duo of Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry.
Brown and free-agent acquisition Romeo Doubs will be an upgrade in that regard, but it doesn’t mean Maye can breathe a sigh of relief. If things go wrong, Brown will not waste time letting Maye know about it based on his history in Philadelphia and it will be on the young quarterback to keep his new No. 1 target happy.
Of course, should that happen there will be big dividends. The Patriots’ 2026 schedule is a gauntlet compared to what New England faced one year ago and an MVP-level Maye will be needed as they travel to the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears next season. There’s also the matter that teams will be coming from the Patriots’ top spot from a year ago, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel if Maye can get through it.
Maye’s fifth-year option will be due in the spring of 2027 and if he comes through with a similar performance to last year, he could set himself up to cash in on a massive contract extension. While the Patriots may offer that regardless, he could push to be one of the game’s highest-paid signal callers if he leads New England through their schedule and keeps Brown content throughout next season.
The feeling of coming up short in the Super Bowl should have been enough to motivate Maye for a big 2026 season. But with a revamped receiver group, offensive line and working with the same scheme under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, everything is there for Maye to succeed, get the Patriots where they want to be and perhaps cash in in a big way next offseason.
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