The New England Patriots open their season on September 9 against the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch, and it arrives as the first real look at Mike Vrabel’s second year on the sideline. New England went into the offseason trying to clean up the issues that showed up in that loss, and the changes made around the roster have set up a bold forecast for Drake Maye.
Even with a shaky offensive line and a thin receiving group in 2025, Maye helped push the Patriots to a 14-3 regular season and into the final game against the Seahawks. His effectiveness dropped once an injured throwing shoulder entered the picture, and the Super Bowl turned ugly fast when the offensive line gave up six sacks. Three offensive turnovers finished off any chance at a strong ending.
Vrabel has already acknowledged that the 2026 roster is not deep. That said, Maye gives the Patriots something that can cover up a lot of flaws. He’s entering his third season and looks like the kind of quarterback who can tilt a game no matter who lines up around him.
The expectation here is simple: if he stays healthy, Maye is set up for a massive year.
That idea starts with how close he came to the NFL’s 2025 MVP award. He missed it by one vote.
Matthew Stafford of the Rams won it, but Maye matched or beat him in most of the important passing categories. Stafford threw 46 touchdown passes to Maye’s 31, and finished with 4,707 passing yards to Maye’s 4,394.
But Maye posted a 72 percent completion rate against Stafford’s 65 percent, and he led the league in passer rating despite working with a less talented receiver group and offensive line.
The Patriots did not completely solve the line issue, but they did make a major move at wide receiver. Vrabel brought in A.J.
Brown in a blockbuster trade, giving Maye a Pro Bowl or better No. 1 target. New England also added Romeo Doubs in free agency to strengthen the No. 2 spot.
If the line can simply do a better job of cutting down sacks, quarterback hits, and hurries, the projection is for Maye to explode. The forecast calls for more than 40 touchdown passes, around five rushing scores, and a combined 45 touchdowns.
It also points to 5,000-plus passing yards. And if he gets cleaner pockets, the NFL’s single-season completion percentage record of 74.4 percent, set by Drew Brees in 2018, could be in play too.
Brown and Doubs join a backfield featuring Rhamondre Stevenson and Treveyon Stevenson, which only adds to the sense that the offense should be better. The protection still matters, but Maye has shown he can escape trouble and keep plays alive. In 2025, before the injury slowed him down, he kept finding ways to help New England win.
The expectation for 2026 is a big one: a monster season from Maye and another big run for the Patriots.
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One possible answer has already surfaced in a familiar kind of roster gamble, the sort that looks better in theory than in practice. Clelin Ferrell, who has bounced around multiple teams and was most recently on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, would be more of a depth dart than a real fix, and theres a reason the fit comes with skepticism. Even so, with the trade deadline still ahead, New England may have to decide whether to live with the current pass-rush mix or make a move that carries more upside than certainty. [Read more 🡒]