The New England Patriots fell just short of their ultimate goal in 2025, losing Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks. Ahead of their 2026 campaign, the Patriots are surrounding quarterback Drake Maye with as much talent as possible, and that could include selecting Washington receiver Denzel Boston in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Patriots Could Give Drake Maye Another Talented Target
Maye was one of the catalysts for the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl in 2025, but unfortunately, a rough outing against the Seahawks on the big stage led to a 29-13 loss. The New England quarterback struggled against a ferocious and creative Seahawks defense, so the expectation is for the front office to stockpile offensive talent ahead of the 2026 season.
Stefon Diggs is a free agent after an impressive 2025 season, but the Patriots quickly filled that role by signing receiver Romeo Doubs to a $68 million, four-year deal. That might not be the last pass catcher the Patriots will be adding for Maye, as PFSN’s Ryan Moran has New England drafting Boston with their 31st overall selection.
“Even though they signed Romeo Doubs to a big deal in free agency, the New England Patriots may not be done adding wide receivers for Drake Maye,” according to Moran’s latest three-round mock draft for PFSN. “Denzel Boston, out of Washington, has all the measurables to be a dominant jump-ball, possession receiver.
“Over the past two years at Washington, Boston scored 20 touchdowns. He has very reliable hands at the catch point. With his 6-foot-4, 212-pound frame and toughness over the middle, Boston could give the Patriots’ passing game a boost.”
Diggs’ departure means the Patriots had to replace the 1,013 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns that he brought to the offense in 2025. Doubs was a sizable investment for the team, but the offensive collapse in the Super Bowl won’t be easily forgotten by Vrabel or the New England front office.
Boston would mean an immediate rise in the expected offensive output for the 2026 Patriots, especially with Moran predicting New England using their first-round pick on the receiver.
After 66 total receiving yards in 2022 and 2023 combined, Boston exploded onto the scene with 834 yards and 9 touchdowns for Washington in 2024 and then improved on that with a 2025 campaign resulting in 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.
That kind of production would be a welcome addition to a receiving corps that would give Maye plenty of passing options as he looks to put the disappointing end to the 2025 campaign behind him.
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Head coach Mike Vrabel led an entirely unexpected turnaround for the Patriots after several seasons of disappointing results and incredibly underwhelming performances on the field. Bill Belichick left the franchise after an 8-9 finish in 2022 and then a terrible 4-13 in 2023, followed by Jerod Mayo continuing the trend with another 4-13 record in 2024.
If the Patriots end up making Boston a member of the New England offense, it will signal Vrabel’s intent to raise the expectations for Maye and the rest of the offensive players on the roster.
