The Patriots spent last offseason acting like they understood exactly how to build around Drake Maye. Then they tore too much of it down before the new season even got rolling.
After investing heavily in the roster - adding Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins at receiver, using a first-round pick on left tackle Will Campbell, and bringing in veteran tackle Morgan Moses - the expectation was that New England would keep the momentum from a strong push and keep giving Maye more support. Instead, the Patriots made a pair of moves that now look especially damaging: they released Diggs one year into his three-year deal because of a salary dispute, and they traded Kayshon Boutte to the Texans before the season opener.
Those decisions have left Maye without the two receivers who were most important to his breakout 2025 season. Diggs and Boutte were his top targets during that MVP-caliber run, and their absence has shown up in the quarterback’s play over the last three games. Interceptions have stacked up, bad choices have led to wasted snaps or dead drives, and the sharp, confident version of Maye has been hard to find.
A lack of a true No. 1 receiver is clearly part of the problem. So is the loss of Brown, whose connection with Maye was short-lived before he sprained his ankle and was sidelined for at least four games. With Brown unavailable, the Patriots are left without the kind of reliable target that can steady an offense when the quarterback starts pressing.
Diggs made his presence felt in New England in a big way last season. He became the first receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019 to top 1,000 receiving yards for the Patriots, finishing with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns in his only season with the team.
Boutte, while not hitting that milestone, made a real leap of his own. He earned a larger role in the offense and turned it into 33 receptions for 551 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Now neither one is there, and the ripple effects are obvious. Hunter Henry has vanished from the offense as well, becoming a complete non-factor since the season started. The run game has not been established through three games either, which only makes life harder for a quarterback who can benefit from balance and from using his dual-threat ability throughout a game.
The frustration is sharper because Diggs is still producing for the Commanders, making the Patriots’ concerns about his age at 33 look like a poor reason to move on. Boutte hasn’t made the same impact with the Texans, but that doesn’t change how useful he would have been in New England with Brown out until potentially Week 7. His quiet start in Houston only adds to the regret.
Put it all together - the receiver turnover, the offensive line issues, and Mack Hollins now serving as Maye’s No. 1 wideout - and the Patriots have created a far tougher environment than the one they were supposed to build for their quarterback. What should have been another promising season already feels a lot more uncertain.
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