The old saying "strike while the iron's hot" certainly applies to two very underpaid players on the New England Patriots. Christian Gonzalez has had his fifth-year option picked up by the team, and he'll be taking home a bag of cash in 2027 and hopefully signing an extension to boot.
The other is even more of a bargain. It's quarterback Drake Maye whose fifth-year option will be picked up after 2026, and if the team has any smarts, they'll sign him to a long-term extension right then.
Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport wrote about the NFL's biggest bargains by position, and it's no surprise that his quarterback is the Patriots' third-year player, Drake Maye.
"There's no better feeling than having a star quarterback on a rookie contract. The roster flexibility it affords teams can make all the difference in the world. The New England Patriots should enjoy that feeling—because if Drake Maye has another season in 2026 like he did last year, he's not going to be making less than $10 million a season much longer."
Davenport is spot on regarding Maye. His performance in 2024, when he was a second-team All-Pro, and in 2025, when he was a Pro Bowler and should have won the NFL's MVP, speaks for itself. He's been everything the team could have hoped for and more since being drafted in 2024 with the third overall pick. With a $9.2M salary in 2026.
He's the NFL's best bargain by far.
Drake Maye has just scratched the surface of his talent with the Patriots
The Patriots in the 2025 offseason moved expeditiously and masterfully to take advantage of their talented signal-caller, Maye. They improved across the board, and under first-year Head Coach (and ultimately NFL Coach of the Year) Mike Vrabel, the team took advantage of Maye's skills and a weak schedule to bludgeon their way to the Super Bowl before their bubble burst.
They took full advantage of the low salary Maye was earning in 2025. The jury is still out on whether they've done this offseason enough to improve Maye's supporting cast not only to get to the Super Bowl but also to win it. They did some good things, but also made some risky and perhaps ill-advised moves.
Their 2026 offseason was just a shadow of 2025, but hopefully, they'll have done enough to take full advantage of the bargain they have in Maye.
Since 80% of Maye's porous offensive line returns in 2026, there are doubts about whether it can improve much. Yet, if they can and reduce their sacks allowed significantly, Maye will rip the NFL to shreds.
This will be especially true if the Patriots can complete the long-awaited and anticipated trade for the No. 1 receiver they've lacked since Julian Edelman's retirement, the Eagles' A.J. Brown. That will be clearer after June 1. If they do and the O-line performs, things will get interesting.
Regardless, the Patriots are riding with the best and most underpaid player in the NFL for short money. That will end after 2027. But, while they can, they should go all out to maximize their chances to bring home another Lombardi Trophy before the price of poker goes up.
We'll see if their half-hearted efforts to bolster the offensive line this offseason will prove to be enough to get them over the line this season against a much stiffer schedule. If not, they'll only have themselves to blame.
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