The New England Patriots rode the stellar arm of All-Pro quarterback Drake Maye right to the 2025 Super Bowl. Only an injury to his throwing arm and a struggling offensive line kept the second-year pro from hoisting the team's seventh Lombardi Trophy.
Just months later, Maye has been ranked by Bleacher Report's Moe Moton as No. 3 on the list of potential first-time MVPs, trailing Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow.
Why Maye should trail anyone is a surprise. Assuming his right shoulder is healed and he stays healthy, the only reason to question his top-rated MVP candidacy is his supporting cast. Why he shouldn't be considered the overall NFL front-runner are the offensive line and his receiving corps. The offensive line will be the primary determinant of whether Maye is the MVP in 2026 or an also-ran.
The real question is whether the Patriots' front office did enough to remedy the deficiencies of the O-line in the offseason. The prime objective of this and every other offseason has to be to protect the franchise quarterback. If they fail to do that, they risk the future of the franchise.
The Patriots’ offensive line could make or break his MVP case
That Bleacher Report recognizes Maye as a front-runner among first-time possible MVPs is fine. Yet, he should be rated highly with any and every other quarterback in the NFL, including the likes of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and last year's MVP, Matthew Stafford.
"Drake Maye came close to winning MVP last season," Moton wrote. "Matthew Stafford edged him out by one first-place vote. Although New England benefited from a relatively soft 2025 schedule...Maye still showed significant growth between his rookie and second seasons. He led the league in completion rate (72), passer rating (113.5) and QBR (77.1)...ESPN's Adam Schefter believes New England will be the landing spot for star wide receiver A.J. Brown. If the Pats acquire the three-time Pro Bowler, Maye could unleash more deep balls for flashy stat lines...Maye is quickly on the rise among signal-callers. In terms of efficiency, he's further along than Caleb Williams, which gives him the edge for the No. 3 spot."
That Moton didn't mention the offensive line is offensive. Maye was sacked 47 times in the regular season and another 21 in the postseason, including six times in the Super Bowl. Stafford, conversely, was sacked only 23 times in the regular season. That's why the offensive line should have been the primary focus of this Patriots' offseason.
The Patriots did add a solid guard in Alijah Vera-Tucker. The problem is he hasn't been able to stay on the field nearly enough. In 2025, he didn't play a snap. In addition, veteran center Garrett Bradbury was jettisoned after a solid season, and he'll be replaced by second-year pro Jared Wilson, who played guard all of 2025 and hasn't played center in the NFL. Those are two question marks of major significance.
The other guard is Mike Onwenu, who's solid, but the tackles are also question marks. Left tackle Will Campbell is coming off an injury-marred season. Meanwhile, the projected right tackle is 35-year-old Morgan Moses, who is an ironman, but his time in the NFL is winding down. Will either be able to stand up to the rigors of a 17-game NFL season, plus perhaps the playoffs?
On the plus side, the team did add another option who played left tackle in college, Caleb Lomu. He allowed zero sacks in 2025. He should immediately step into the swing tackle role and be the first off the bench in the case of an injury. The Patriots also needed to add depth at guard, with veteran Ben Brown as the top man in reserve. That could be a major factor if the oft-injured Vera-Tucker is sidelined.
Drake Maye being ranked third among possible first-time quarterback MVPs is faint praise. Maye is the best passer in the NFL, and the only thing separating him from an MVP season in 2026 will be his injury status and his protection. If the Patriots can significantly reduce their sacks allowed and he has a solid receiving corps, the sky is the limit. But dropping that sacks-allowed total is a big "if."
Hopefully, the Patriots did enough this offseason to get that job done.
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