Drake Maye and A.J. Brown are about to put their offseason chemistry on display for the first time when the Patriots open the season Wednesday night on the road in a rematch of their Super Bowl loss to the Seahawks back in February.
The two never took a preseason snap for New England, but their work together in training camp has already created plenty of buzz. Now comes the real test, and it’s a big one. The Patriots struggled to get much going through the air against Seattle’s defense to close last season, with the passing game only really showing life in a brief fourth-quarter burst.
This time, New England is hoping a healthier Maye, along with a deeper group of weapons, changes the script. Brown should be right in the middle of that effort.
On NBC ahead of Wednesday’s opener, Maye and Brown discussed their relationship with former Patriot captain and Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty.
“It’s been great, he’s made my job a lot easier,” Brown said of Maye. “And he always takes the blame for anything.
I’m like, ‘Drake, it’s OK. It’s not your fault.’
But he’s incredible, man. He’s fun to play with.”
Brown was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2025, while Maye finished top-5 in passing yards despite working with a thinner receiving group than he has now. New England’s offensive line is also more settled this season, even if the depth behind it remains a question.
Even with a tougher schedule in 2026, the early expectation is that the Patriots’ offense can be among the league’s better units again.
“I think it’s important [to have] a player of A.J.’s caliber, who’s had success in the league, to know what it’s like to be on the same page as the quarterback,” Maye said. “Knowing how important that relationship is, not just on the field but off the field. … I think that’s when it comes to life, those meetings with him and the receivers.”
For now, the excitement is obvious: Maye and Brown are ready to turn all that work into something fans can finally see under the lights.
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