Drake Maye’s got wheels, and Josh McDaniels knows it. Back in 2020, McDaniels tailored the Patriots‘ offense to Cam Newton’s mobility with RPOs and QB draws. And get this, Maye showed similar escape ability at UNC, so expect McDaniels to blend his traditional playbook with designed runs and rollouts, maximizing Maye’s dual-threat capabilities. It’s not about turning Maye into Newton, but about smartly leveraging his athleticism.

To spice things up, the Patriots’ O-line has seen significant upgrades under Mike Vrabel and McDaniels. We’re talking about center Garrett Bradbury, a zone-blocking specialist, and right tackle Morgan Moses, who’s known for his power-blocking prowess. Enter first-round pick Will Campbell, who is expected to solidify the left tackle position, and with Mike Onwenu anchoring the right guard spot, the Patriots’ O-line will provide Maye with robust protection.

A standout sophomore season for Maye? Well, you can expect it. However, the Patriots’ legends, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, might argue otherwise. Why? See, the former TE and WR believe that the QB’s foundation is strong, and there’s no denying it. But Maye’s development under the new Patriots’ O-line may require more time. You know, before he could sit among elite QBs and be a rightful MVP contender.

“Drake May’s a great quarterback, has a good team around him now,” Gronk recently noted on Dudes on Dudes Podcast. “I can see him being a top-five candidate for MVP in the future, maybe year three, four, five, or something along those lines. He’s not gonna be a top-five candidate this year.” Just like that. The guy who developed under the leadership of legendary head coach Bill Belichick, and played alongside the NFL GOAT, Tom Brady, believes that Maye will take some time to develop as an MVP-calibre quarterback.

But the plot thickened as Edelman chimed in and shed light on the Patriots‘ new offensive line that will complement Maye. “A little too soon. He’s well on his way becoming a good football player. Can’t throw him great yet,” Edelman explained. “There’s too many variables in this sport for him to just have that crazy of a leap. New offensive coordinator, so he’s gonna be juggling new protections, new calls, new language, and new players to get used to.” Noted.

The Patriots have fully reset their roster, with Kyle Dugger somehow becoming the veteran player in New England. With Vrabel as the new HC, McDaniels as the new OC, and dozens of changes on the roster, Maye will be juggling to learn the new offensive scheme. But will he be the MVP or not? It’s too early to predict, literally. But Edelman made it clear, “Let’s pump the brakes. Let’s just try to make the playoffs before we talk about MVP.”

Well, that would be the first thing the Patriots and Drake Maye will focus on. If all goes well, then who doesn’t like MVP honors or a top 5 contender for this? Whether it’s in the next three to four or maybe five years. Good things take time. The Patriots had terrible seasons in the past few years. And just like this season is giving Succession vibes, Maye’s on his way to becoming a great football player as well.

But it’s his young wide receiver unit (except Stefon Diggs) that has been catching frequent attention, but not for good reasons.

Mike Vrabel lost his cool on Drake Maye’s WR

Ever since Mike Vrabel started calling the shots—whether running things with the Titans for years or now leading the Patriots—he’s been all about that no-nonsense, get-it-done coaching vibe. And when the Patriots hired him as their new HC, the 49-year-old HC laid down some ground rules for his players. What are those rules, you ask?

Well, in a clip that went viral, Vrabel was notifying his players to “respect the football team and the people that are here.” But that’s not the only rule. In fact, he asked the players to lower their hoods during team meetings and put away their cell phones during the team activities. It’s clear, Vrabel came to New England with a vision of turning the Patriots’ fortune around.

So, when Drake Maye’s second-year wide receiver, Javon Baker, made a catch during the recent practice session and decided to run down the field, showboating, Vrabel found it problematic and straight-up yelled at him and told him to get to the huddle. After having a terrible rookie season where he appeared in 11 games but recorded just 1 reception for 12 yards, the Patriots are expecting Baker to perform well in his second season.

And Vrabel knows it very well. But the way things are shaping up, it’s going to be a battle for Baker to make it to the final roster of the team.