There was a lot of controversy surrounding the Patriots last season in various aspects, with one of the main concerns surrounding the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Because he was expected to be the future of the franchise, even before stepping on the field, prioritizing his progression needed to be treated with the utmost care.
Plenty of arguments suggested that Jerod Mayo wasn't the right head coach to handle that task, and that same belief was transmitted to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. That's why who Robert Kraft chose to hire as the next head coach and who they ended up being, Mike Vrabel, decided to hire as the next offensive play-caller was incredibly important.
So when it was eventually announced that Josh McDaniels would be returning to his former role, the excitement around Maye's potential became a big talking point in New England. It continues to be discussed this offseason, with even Julian Edelman sharing his excitement over what the Maye-McDaniels partnership could look like in 2025 and beyond.
Julian Edelman believes the sky is the limit for Drake Maye now that he has Josh McDaniels to work with
The conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft had many analysts excited about the potential of the Patriots' upcoming season. Because they have become a joke of the league over the past few years, the fact that they had what some consider the best draft and a solid free agency has many believing they can make a run at the playoffs as soon as this year.
A big reason for that is having McDaniels back on the sideline, which Edelman believes will elevate Maye's game to new heights, beyond what some might have expected for his second NFL season.
Knowing McDaniels' history with quarterbacks throughout his career, it doesn't feel like what Edelman says is a stretch. We saw what the OC accomplished with Tom Brady and the lone season of Cam Newton under center, which could have been better with a substantially improved offense around him, and helped Mac Jones lead the Patriots to the playoffs during his rookie year.
Because Maye is (obviously) considered to be more talented than a 31-year-old Newton and an underwhelming Jones, it's fair to assume that he will be far more exhilarating to watch in New England and bring the team further. He showed glimpses of that during his rookie season, and will now have an even better group to work with this fall, which includes McDaniels.
With a new left tackle, running back, and wide receivers to work with, Maye is expected to be significantly better than he was as a rookie, which was already impressive given the scarcity of talent he had to work with.
McDaniels will be like another weapon on the field for him, which should enrage the rest of the AFC because the Patriots look to be back much sooner than they were ever hoping for.