The New England Patriots have been the biggest surprise of the 2025 NFL season. After barely managing to get to four wins a year, the organization seems to have found its guy in Drake Maye, who is off to an MVP-caliber start. However, the plethora of moves the team made in the offseason is also starting to pay off, as the weapons around their star quarterback have massively helped.
Dominating on both sides of the football, the team is off to a 6-2 start, with quality victories over teams like the Buffalo Bills. However, to go from drafting in the top five to hosting a playoff game would be a radical jump for the team. As a result, one analyst believes they need to add some veteran wide receiver help to take a step further.
New England Patriots Taking Next Step With Offensive Trade
The biggest reason for the turnaround in New England is simple. Maye, and the offense by extension, have been positively electric. A top 10 unit on PFSN’s Offense Impact, he ranks second on PFSN’s QB Impact individually.
They have been borderline unstoppable with weapons like Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. But, Josh Weil of PFSN believes they can take another step forward by adding Calvin Ridley from the Tennessee Titans.
Despite a slow start to the 2025 season, the veteran wide receiver has an unblemished track record. “Ridley is a deep threat, as he is tied for 16th-best in the league with an average of 18.7 yards per reception.”
As a result, he could fit perfectly as a second or third option on any team, and the Patriots are in a prime position to offer him that role exactly. With Maye hitting his stride as a quarterback, a former first-round pick and All-Pro selection might be just what the doctor ordered.
Entering this season, the two-time college football playoffs national champion had over 5,000 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns to his credit. In the second season of his four-year deal with the Tennessee Titans, worth $92 million, he could be a relatively cheap rental for New England to stay afloat for this season.
Among the few teams that could reasonably absorb his contract, they would offer Ridley a fresh start, while allowing him to play in meaningful games again. With a legitimate chance to supplant the Buffalo Bills as the winners of the AFC East, the chance is there for New England to take.
