New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye took the NFL by storm in 2025, leading his team to a shocking appearance in the Super Bowl and finishing as the regular season MVP runner-up.
Now, with three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown in stow, expectations are high for Maye.
NBC Sports Boston Patriots insider Tom E. Curran said that he believes the former No. 3 overall pick could become the second-best quarterback in the league during the 2026 campaign.
"I think he can become the second-best quarterback in the league," Curran said on Wednesday's episode of "Early Edition." "Lamar Jackson still is in a situation where I just don't love his wide receiver crew. Joe Burrow continually has a defense that needs to be weighed against what his team is able to do, which hurts him. ... Justin Herbert's not as good, Caleb Williams is less disciplined on a down-to-down (basis), though a spectacular player."
There's only one NFL signal-caller that would still clearly be ahead of Maye, according to Curran.
"I think that Maye could move in comfortably behind Josh Allen," he said.
Fellow NBC Sports Boston Patriots insider Phil Perry echoed his colleagues' thoughts on New England's two-time Pro Bowler.
"I think if you see a season that closely approximates what he did last year, even if the numbers take a little bit of a dip from last year to this year, we're going to be talking about him as being in that category with the (Josh) Allens and (Patrick) Mahomes', (Lamar) Jacksons, and (Joe) Burrows. I think he has that kind of potential, he has that kind of skill set," Perry said. "Now what you've done is, you've improved the situation around him. ... You've given him just about everything. He has it all. And he has the skill set to elevate the guys around him to make him even better. So, I don't know if the stats will be the same, but he's gonna be a better quarterback. I think there's an opportunity here to do some special things here in 2026."
Maye finished last season with an NFL-best 72.0% completion percentage, as well as 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while adding 103 carries for 450 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.
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