New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
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New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
New England Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski weighed in on what he thinks the team should do in the NFL draft, with the event itself only a couple of weeks away.
The Patriots have a variety of directions to take. Coach Mike Vrabel talked about the Patriots’ draft plans earlier this week and kept things close to the vest. For now, it appears they are exploring all options after a Super Bowl appearance.
Gronkowski has one specific area that he wants to see the Patriots address in the draft. The area itself could benefit quarterback Drake Maye, and the Patriots legend elaborated on this. Forbes.com’s DJ Siddiqi reported this.
“Definitely go out and get another offensive lineman or two just to protect Drake Maye, because that’s where it all starts,” said Gronkowski. “If you got a dominant offensive line that can run block and also pass block, then you know you’re going to move that ball down the field and you’re going to have Drake Maye, your star quarterback, comfortable in the pocket at all times. That’s what you want as a football team, absolutely.”
The Patriots were dealing with a young offensive line at the start of the 2025 season. Will Campbell was selected that year with the fourth overall pick. He ended up becoming a valuable piece at left tackle. Left guard Jared Wilson was selected in the third round. He too, ended up being a valuable piece on the line as well.
The line definitely got tested throughout the season, but some of it was due to injury. Campbell missed five games mid-season with a knee injury. Veterans were affected as well. Center Garrett Bradbury also dealt with entry issues throughout the course of the year.
Youth of Patriots Line Exposed In Playoffs
The youth of the offensive line was exposed through the playoffs. The unit allowed 21 total sacks over a span of four games. This included six sacks against the Seattle Seahawks and five sacks apiece through the first three playoff games. This included games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos.
Those defenses certainly were no slouches. In fact, the offense of white faced three top-five ranked defenses. The game against the Broncos was particularly frustrating for the offensive line, as Maye was pressured on 22.7% of snaps. This is something that would rear its ugly head once again.
The Super Bowl was a true test for the offensive line. Several of the players on the unit struggle, including Campbell. He allowed 14 quarterback pressures in Super Bowl loss, the most for any offensive tackle at a playoff game since 2018. Making matters worse for the unit, the Seattle Seahawks often pressured with only four rushers.
Future Bright For Patriots’ Offensive Line
There is a silver lining here. Campbell and Wilson, for example, were only in their rookie seasons. They have an opportunity to grow and learn throughout the course of their careers.
On the flip side of things, veteran right tackle Morgan Moses is 35 years old. They need to get younger at the position. The offensive line unit itself is somewhat of a juxtaposition.
Gronkowski is absolutely right in his assessment of what the Patriots need. Maye has already shown that he can play at a high level. It’s up to the Patriots to continue building around him. Finding quality offensive lineman and subsequently protecting the quarterback is not easy. Nevertheless, it is something that the Patriots must try to do if they want to continue to be considered an elite team not only in the AFC, but in the entire National Football League.