Drake Maye
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots addresses the media prior to Super Bowl LX at the Santa Clara Marriott on February 04, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots‘ 2025 season didn’t end the way they wanted it to, losing in Super Bowl LX in a largely non-competitive game to the Seahawks. But the Patriots’ season was still a resounding success, going from four wins in 2024 to 14 regular-season wins in 2025, earning the AFC’s No. 2 seed and winning three playoff games.
Former Patriots linebacker and Titans HC Mike Vrabel took over in New England this past year, elevating them to their best season since they won Super Bowl LIII with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. MVP runner-up and second-year QB Drake Maye also played a big role, taking a leap in his second season and establishing himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game.
But there’s no denying that the Patriots need to get better, especially on offense. New England didn’t provide Maye much help in the playoffs, and adding some young, explosive playmakers as well as beefing up the offensive line should be the top priorities for the Patriots this offseason.
New England Patriots Executive Eliot Wolf on the ‘Rebuild’ Moniker
Eliot Wolf
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 27: Director of scouting Eliot Wolf of the New England Patriots speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“Yeah I don’t know that I’d call it a rebuild,” Wolf said in a pre-Combine press conference on Tuesday. “I think we have a nice core of players, y’know. Whether that’s a core of veteran players that we rely on or some of the younger, up-and-coming players like the rookies that were mentioned earlier. So again, I just think every year is an opportunity, every year is different. Every year is an opportunity in free agency and the draft to improve the roster. And y’know, it’s not just free agency and the draft. It’s trades, it’s waiver claims, it’s restricted free agency, all those things. We’re going to explore everything that we can.”
“No, you know, I’m really proud of our players,” Wolf continued. “Again, they bought in quickly, they figured out how to win. But I think everyone on the roster is aware that we still need some pieces and we’re gonna create as much competition as we possibly can.”
“Yeah I’m not gonna get into any specific details on specific free agents for our team, and obviously for other teams,” Wolf said. “We have had conversations [with our free agents], and we had good exit meetings with those guys, and I think they understand where we’re at.”
The New England Patriots Will Face a Tougher Road Next Year
Not to take anything away from the incredible season the Patriots just had, but they faced a fourth-place schedule after finishing last in the AFC East in 2024. Now they’re staring down the barrel of a tougher road, one that will test them against the league’s best more often.
New England can absolutely make another Super Bowl run even with a harder schedule. With Maye and Vrabel leading the way, this team is set up for future success. But to lessen the risk of being seen as a flash in the pan and never reclaiming the highs of this past season (like the Bengals and Commanders in recent seasons), the Patriots have some work to do on the roster.