Mike Vrabel Finally Confirms Major Boost for Drake Maye After Patriots Rookie Gets Bad News

When Stefon Diggs inked his deal with New England this offseason, Patriots fans thought the puzzle was complete — a rising QB already drawing Josh Allen comparisons paired with a battle-tested wideout built to elevate him. But Diggs’ contract was contingent on a few things. The primary part of it was that he had to get completely fit and pass the physical to get his signing bonus. Then came the ACL recovery, the preseason silence, and the creeping doubt. But Mike Vrabel’s latest update? That flipped the script heading into Week 1.

Yes, after all that doubt around Diggs’ health, all seems good to go. The NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on 2nd September that the wideout is listed as receiver heading into Week 1, and coach Mike Vrabel expects Diggs to be on the field. Talking to the host, Rapoport said, “Well the good news Tom is that Stefon Diggs ramping up, preparing, planning as of right now. Whatever Mike Vrabel said, it’s all good for the fact that they do expect him to be out there for week one.” And there’s one person who’s probably a happier man than Diggs himself: Drake Maye.

You’d understand why. The 2024 Patriots’ passing game was flat-out anemic. Their wideouts scraped together just 3,343 yards, 29th in the league. Tied for dead-last in receiving touchdowns with 30. Their top receiver? DeMario Douglas, who led the team with only 621 yards and 3 touchdowns. That stat line says it all about how barren the passing game really was.

This offseason, Drake Maye got the best gift of all: a proven veteran leading the receiving corps. A man who’s racked up over 857 career receptions for 10,491 yards and 70 TDs. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

Diggs tore his ACL late in 2024, which cost him almost half of the season. That rehab timeline kept him out of the preseason workout. So, yes, there was always a question mark around his availability and post-ACL quality. And when he signed the Patriots contract back in March, the Patriots had a protective clause that allowed them to part ways with him if he didn’t pass his physical exam. Basically, they can let him go without paying a cent over his bonus.

Rapoport also had the same reservations regarding Diggs, stating, “But it was more than weirdness actually, in the contract. That’s Stefon Diggs signed. Him passing physical, getting fully cleared, was how he ended up unlocking his signing bonus. That’s how much that’s how unsure everyone was about his knee. Remember torn ACL in October last year. It’s about ten and a half months since then. Should be almost 100 percent by now, but everybody is different. Every player is different. You never really know if a player is going to heal as you hope he does and considering how valuable he is in the receiving corps. This is something that was paramount. Get through training camp, and this is what you learn. Stefon Diggs is expected to be good to go.” And if he’s listed as number one, we can probably throw those questions out the window.

For a Patriots offense that ranked 29th in passing a year ago, that kind of instant QB–WR chemistry is the need of the hour. Hopefully, they will be able to build that chemistry as soon as possible. But just as Maye and Diggs got good news, a rookie RB got an equally heartbreaking one.

TreVeyon Henderson is RB3

Yes, the second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson opens the year slotted third on the depth chart, stuck behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. It came as a surprise to most who expected better for him. The Ohio State playmaker has way too much potential to be jut RB3.

Henderson’s profile checks every box for early playing time. A second-round pick at No. 38, he racked up over 4,000 scrimmage yards at Ohio State, paired with eye-popping efficiency and proven pass-pro chops.  Sure, it’s not a bad idea to take things slow with a rookie, but he’s a presence this RB room desperately needs.

But Vrabel has set his priorities straight. Rhamondre Stevenson is locked into a heavy workload, and Antonio Gibson’s versatility makes him too valuable to keep out. That combo naturally squeezes a rookie, no matter how talented. Vrabel’s repeated praise for Stevenson and his emphasis on those reliable veteran reps added a little more sense to Henderson’s depth-chart spot.

If nothing, he added some much-needed depth to what was a rather thin RB room. And that’s again good news for Drake Maye. The PFF slapped the Patriots with a 48.5 offensive line grade in 2024. So yes, the young QB has got some good weapons around him.