The New England Patriots entered the 2026 offseason as the losing Super Bowl participant in 2025. The holes in the team's roster screamed as the Seattle Seahawks thoroughly outplayed them. Two areas of absolute need are the offensive line, which surrendered six sacks, and the edge position, where players can contribute sacks. The team had only one against Seattle.
That notwithstanding, other positions need upgrading and more may become evident if the team pares down the 2025 roster to create more cap space. Players on the bubble like Stefon Diggs and guard Mike Onwenu carry big cap hits, and a barrel full of cash can be freed up by moving on from either or both.
Should Diggs be set packing, the imperative to add to the wide receiver room will be enhanced. Diggs was the 2025 Patriots' best wide receiver, and his production will have to be replaced at a minimum. Yet, it really should be augmented.
That means adding that "go-to guy for Drake Maye," as Pro Football Network has suggested.
The Patriots' top-tier needs include adding to the wide receiver position
A lot of attention has been and will be placed on bolstering a porous offensive line and adding sack production at the edge, especially if K'Lavon Chaisson isn't re-signed. Yet, while the wide receiver position was unquestionably grossly mismanaged in 2025, it will still need additions, especially if Diggs is set free.
Pro Football Network's Austin Swaim actually thinks the Patriots biggest decision this offseason will be to add a top target for quarterback, Drake Maye.
"New England set the record for most additional wins in an entire NFL campaign (13) this season, and there’s still so much room to grow. While likely using $35.2 million in cap space to build out the offensive line and pass rush, the Patriots’ marquee question all season has been who Maye’s go-to guy was. Stefon Diggs moonlighted in that role during 2025, but Diggs’ 27.5 yards per game in the playoffs were closer to an absence."
Swaim makes a good point that Diggs wasn't much of a factor in the postseason. Yet almost no one was, and that was primarily due to Drake Maye's shoulder injury, among other deficiencies.
Regardless, Vrabel has to bring in one or two reinforcements to go along with returnees Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and little-used rookie talents Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III. Chism can man the slot and make Pop Douglas tradeable.
Mike Vrabel still needs to beef up his receiver room
The Patriots under Mike Vrabel added four new receivers to that undermanned room in the 2025 offseason. Now, depending on what the team decides on Stefon Diggs, there's still more work to do.
Diggs was the team's best producer with 85 catches for 1013 yards and four touchdowns.
It was a solid showing, especially when the previous year's leader, Pop Douglas, had only 66 catches. If Diggs is let go to save cap space, the need for a true No. 1 receiver will still be there. In actuality, Diggs was more of a 1A than a true No. 1.
The Patriots haven't had a 100-catch receiver since Julian Edelman was still catching passes from Tom Brady. Whether Vrabel can draft one (unlikely) or sign one in free agency or get one in a trade is questionable. Yet the imperative remains. Drake Maye is too good a quarterback not to have a No. 1 and maybe a No. 1A as well in his repertoire.
It's on Vrabel not to make the same mistake Bill Belichick did with Tom Brady in many of their years together. Although receivers like Edelman and Troy Brown were terrific but basically slot types, Brady seldom had that true No. 1 boundary receiver at his disposal.
It cost the team Lombardi Trophies. Absent Randy Moss for a short time, who met that criterion?
By hook or by crook, Vrabel and the Patriots have to get a top receiver to pair with Maye. Not to do so would not only be a shame but would keep the Patriots at a level below where they ought to be with a young quarterback as talented as Maye on hand. Not sure how Vrabel will get one, but Austin Swaim's suggestion that the necessity is there is undeniable.