The New England Patriots are aiming for a big season under newly-appointed head coach Mike Vrabel, and they may have just got a major boost.
There’s a different feeling in the air this summer for the New England Patriots, who won just four games in 2024. Their roster construction throughout the offseason has been strong, improving on key positions of need and crucially, doing everything they can to support second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye got his first start in Week 6 of his rookie season and held down the job the rest of the way. He threw for 2,276 passing yards in 12 starts, while throwing 15 touchdown passes and 10 picks.
The quarterback was under immense pressure in his rookie year, with a subpar offensive line and a largely unproven wide receiver room. In 2025, things may be very different.
Stefon Diggs has ‘exceeded expectations’ after season-ending injury in 2024.
The Buffalo Bills traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans last spring, in exchange for a second, fifth, and sixth-round pick.
Diggs was off to a hot start in Houston, too, catching two touchdown passes in the opening game of the season against the Indianapolis Colts.
The veteran receiver had recorded 496 yards and three touchdowns in the first eight games of the year, but tore his ACL in Week 8, and was ruled out for the rest of the year.
He was out of contract after that single season with the Texans, which meant he’d enter free agency at 31 years old while recovering from a significant ACL tear.
The New England Patriots were in the market for a proven star receiver, with a shortlist that included Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wide receiver Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs. They eventually agreed on a three-year, $63.5 million deal with Diggs, and so far their investment appears to be paying off.
On Good Morning Football this morning, Ian Rapoport reported live from Patriots training camp before the team got started. While talking about Diggs, he said:
“Stefon Diggs, early on in training camp, has exceeded the expectations of the Patriots, just physically. If you go back to last season, it was a significant injury that took him off the field, torn ACL, the kind of thing where if you tear your ACL halfway through the season, it can take you several games to get back into it. It does not feel like that has been the case for Stefon Diggs.”
Rapoport said he had expected Diggs would start the year on the PUP list, but he hasn’t, and is practicing incredibly hard.
He continued by saying:
“This doesn’t feel like a guy that’s going to be on a pitch count, this doesn’t feel like a guy that’s going to have to be eased in. It feels like a star receiver who’s really hit the ground running.”
Stefon Diggs’ presence among what is a very young group of wide receivers could be huge, especially given the way Ian Rapoport has described his commitment to practice.
He said that every rep feels important to Diggs, and that he was actually excited to watch him practice given the way he goes about his craft.
For young receivers like Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas, watching the way he works will be extremely valuable. The same is true for 2024 second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk, who is hoping to earn a roster spot this season after a disappointing rookie year.
Drake Maye set up for success in 2025, with the addition of Stefon Diggs and more
The New England Patriots threw Drake Maye into a bad situation in 2024, and have now done a lot of work to correct it.
The offensive line has been revitalized with the addition of rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, who are both expected to play key roles right away. They did lose veteran center David Andrews, but have replaced him with free agent Garrett Bradbury in a role that the rookie Wilson could also cover early on.
Then there’s the immediate upgrades at wide receiver, none more pivotal than Diggs. The Patriots didn’t have a star at the position last season, but Diggs presence will make life a lot easier for the other receivers and likely open up the field for Drake Maye.
Rookie Kyle Williams has really impressed at camp, and undrafted free agent Efton Chism has shown a lot of what he can do during the offseason, too.
The Patriots will have a backfield duo that contains Rhamondre Stevenson and second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson, who will add great support in the run game and elite protection for Maye as an accomplished blocking back.
