The Patriots' QB room revolves around Drake Maye.
The Patriots' QB room revolves around Drake Maye.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
First in a series.
The final chapter didn’t provide the ending Patriots’ fans were ultimately hoping for, but the story of Drake Maye’s ascent throughout the 2025 season is the kind of thing that should maintain optimism about the direction of the franchise heading into 2026.
Maye (who was dealing with a right shoulder issue) and New England stumbled to a 29-13 loss in Super Bowl LX, as the quarterback spent much of the evening dodging a swarming Seattle pass rush. But that loss didn’t erase all that came before; Maye spent much of the regular season growing into one of the best young quarterbacks in the league.
Buoyed by an improved cast around him — including veteran receiver Stefon Diggs — and his burgeoning connection with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Maye was a sizable reason for New England’s 28.8 points per game average in the regular season, which was second-best in the league.
Maye was in the top five in most major passing categories in 2026, including completion percentage (first, 72 percent), yards (fourth, 4,394), and touchdowns (third, 31).
While the offensive line struggled in the postseason, through the first three playoff games, Maye consistently made game-changing plays at the most important times. There were touchdown passes against the Chargers and Texans, as well as a touchdown run — and the scramble that sealed the game — against the Broncos.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see how he responds to the Super Bowl loss and whether that game created a blueprint for slowing him and the New England passing game. Regardless, Maye would certainly benefit from another offseason of investment on the offensive side of the ball. If Diggs isn’t back for 2026, the Patriots would be wise to add another layer in the passing game for the quarterback.
They also need to address some of the offensive line issues; while sacks are about more than just the guys up front, Maye was sacked 47 times in the regular season (fourth-most), and his 21 postseason sacks set an NFL postseason record. That’s not a sustainable formula for long-term success, regardless of how talented the quarterback might be.
As for the rest of the quarterback room, veteran backup Joshua Dobbs is signed through 2026. No. 3 Tommy DeVito is a restricted free agent, so there could be some movement at the back of the depth chart. But the goal here is to continue to provide support by any means necessary for the rapidly surging Maye. If he can bounce back from the Super Bowl loss, his 2025 performance suggests he’ll be at or near the head of the quarterback class for the next decade.
Currently on the roster: Drake Maye (354 for 492 passing, 4,394 yards, 31 TDs, 8 INTs; 103 carries, 450 rushing yards, 4 TDs), Joshua Dobbs (7 for 10 passing, 65 yards), Tommy DeVito (no regular-season stats).
Notable free agents (pending franchise tag assignments)
There are some intriguing names that figure to be out there — there’s no shortage of teams looking for a Sam Darnold-like reclamation project — but not a lot of elite free-agent quarterback talent.
Instead, it’s a mishmash of aging veterans (Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, etc.) and potential high-return backups (Malik Willis, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kenny Pickett, Zach Wilson). If he’s fully healed from his torn Achilles, Daniel Jones might be the most intriguing of the bunch, and the one with the best chance at following Darnold, provided he lands in the right spot.
Tier 1: Daniel Jones (261 for 384 passing, 3,101 yards, 19 TDs, 8 INTs), Malik Willis (30 for 35 passing, 422 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs), Aaron Rodgers (327 for 498 passing, 3,322 yards, 24 TDs, 7 INTs).
Tier 2: Zach Wilson (6 for 11, 32 passing), Russell Wilson (69 for 119 passing, 831 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs), Joe Flacco (251 for 416 passing, 2,479 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs), Jimmy Garoppolo (no passing stats for 2025), Kenny Pickett (28 for 45 passing, 188 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs).
Draft possibilities
The only reason the Patriots would pay attention to the draft possibilities at quarterback would be for a late-round developmental prospect to replace DeVito on the roster, or a camp arm. That means you can scratch a host of Day 1 and Day 2 possibilities off the list.
Diego Pavia would be a fun watch as a possible UDFA, while Taylen Green showed some amazing physical skills at the combine, setting new QB marks in the vertical and broad jump and running a blazing 4.36 40-yard dash.
Day 1: Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Ty Simpson (Alabama).
Day 2: Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Carson Beck (Miami).
Day 3: Drew Allar (Penn State), Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt).
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.