With a on reloaded defense that the Patriots spent millions of dollars on in free agency, that unit is set up to be the team's biggest strength this year. That was certainly the biggest case during New England's championship heyday, except that the offense could often cover up for the defense's deficiencies when needed.
New England's offense hasn't been lighting the world on fire over the last few seasons, and that, frankly, has put a lot of pressure on the defense, which was on the field a bit too much at times. The Patriots are optimistic that this season can be different with Drake Maye in his second year and an upgraded offense around him.
There doesn't appear to be any pressure on the defense to perform among the national media, with the young Williams set up to be a superstar pass rusher and Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez appearing to be one of the league's top cornerback tandems. But pressure on the offense? You bet.
The most important Patriots players for the 2025 season are (unsurprisingly) on offense
Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports listed Maye, rookie left tackle Will Campbell, and wide receiver Stefon Diggs as the Patriots' three most important players heading into this season, with defensive tackle Milton Williams not far behind.
Frankly, that makes a lot of sense, as Maye will undoubtedly be counted upon to improve after a solid rookie season, Campbell will need to lock down the left tackle position, and Diggs will be counted on to lead the wide receiver room from both talent and leadership standpoints.
Williams was lured to New England with a huge contract, and for good reason. He was part of a defense that had Patrick Mahomes running for his life in the Super Bowl, and his presence immediately solidifies the Patriots' pass rush. But does that take any pressure off the offense? Slightly, yes, but not a whole lot.
The fact that no defensive players were listed in the top three shows the Patriots' offense will be the unit facing the most scrutiny this season, and rightfully so. There's no doubt that having a championship defense is essential, but in the modern NFL, you have to be equipped to win the 38-35 type of games.
And the last few years, the Patriots have struggled in that capacity. They need to be able to win games that become track meets. Even the best defenses can only hold the best offenses down for so long.
Maye is a smart quarterback and will undoubtedly pick up Josh McDaniels' system quickly, and a clip of a recent OTAs session showed Diggs working with second-year receiver Ja'lynn Polk on what appeared to be how to get better releases off the line of scrimmage. That's certainly a good sign.
The Patriots haven't had a quality offense since the 2021 season, which coincidentally was the last time McDaniels ran that unit. If New England wants to churn its way up the AFC contenders' board, the offense will have to produce.