Drake Maye will be entering his third NFL season, and the New England Patriots have made a few marquee signings to bolster the squad this offseason. After releasing Stefon Diggs in March, the Patriots roped in 2024 Super Bowl winner A.J. Brown (with the Eagles), along with signing Romeo Doubs from the Green Bay Packers. However, despite the overhaul in the offensive unit, NFL insider Adam Schefter believes that the toughest tests may still lie ahead for Maye & Co.

“I think this is all about the new weaponry for Drake Maye,” Schefter said on his podcast. “AJ Brown, they trade for him. They sign Romeo Doubs. That is some added firepower on the offensive side of the football. Now, I don’t love some of the vibes around this team, what’s going on in the offseason, the first-place schedule, some of the challenges. But here’s the thing… this team always has Drake Maye.

“And I believe he’s in that great young quarterback category where even when things are off, he can help get them back on track. And so when you have Drake Maye, and you have AJ Brown, and you have Romeo Doubs, I don’t care how tough and challenging it is, you’re going to have a chance. But it’s going to be a tougher year in New England than the one the Patriots experienced last year, in my mind.”

The New England Patriots turned things around from the previous season to finish 2025 with a 14–3 record. In Mike Vrabel’s first year itself, they secured the AFC East title. Even in the playoffs, they did really well to overcome challengers like the LA Chargers, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos, before falling short to the Seahawks (13-29) in Super Bowl LX.

Drake Maye stood as one of the strong pillars behind the Patriots’ 2025 run. He threw for 5,222 yards while posting 37 passing touchdowns across the regular and postseason. The 23-year-old QB also led the NFL with 72.0% (the fifth-best mark in league history) and the Patriots’ best finish since the Tom Brady era. However, will he be able to produce a similar output for a second consecutive season? That’s where Schefter’s concerns are.

First off, after defying expectations under HC Mike Vrabel to win the AFC Championship, the Patriots no longer have the luxury of an underdog schedule. For the 2026-27 season, New England will have a much more challenging first-place schedule, which would routinely match them against strong opposition.

Other than that, Vrabel & Co. seemingly played a few gambles this offseason as well, especially on the offensive line. After trading away starting center Garrett Bradbury to the Chicago Bears, they signed guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. While Vera-Tucker is a five-season veteran, he has major injury concerns. If he or young tackles like Will Campbell miss time, Drake Maye will be left unprotected, which is why how the 2026 pans out for the Patriots will be interesting to see.