The New England Patriots made a significant deal to add to the weapons Drake Maye will have at his disposal. A surprise Pro Bowl alternative at the end of the year, Maye has potentially become the answer that the team has been hoping for at quarterback since Tom Brady left.
However, his rookie season was marred by an ineffective offensive line and lackluster pass catchers. Adding Mike Vrabel as the head coach should stabilize the team, but the team needs more offensively to support its young quarterback. Adding Stefon Diggs was a start, but they could have had another guy earlier in the 2025 NFL offseason.
New England Patriots Rejected By DK Metcalf
Last season, the Patriots’ receiving core was one of the worst in the NFL. Not a single wide receiver had more than 621 yards and tight end Hunter Henry led the team in receiving yards with 674.
As a result, it was clear that a unit that ranked 26th on PFSN’s Offense+ metric needed some serious help. Mack Hollins and Diggs are the beginning of the additions, but they also tried adding a different veteran wide receiver.
According to Patriots insider Tom Curran, who appeared on the Jones & Keefe show, the former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver could have been traded to New England instead of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He revealed that early in the offseason, there were reports of the team’s interest in names like Chris Godwin and Mike Williams. However, DK Metcalf wasn’t made an offer. While the reporting was correct, a little more nuance was attached to it.
“They had conversations, and an offer was not made, that is correct, but it was kind of redirected from folks outside New England. They were in on him. They were trying. He didn’t wanna come here. So they were in on these guys, but there was kind of a sliding scale.”
Instead, they are walking away with Diggs, who they signed on a three-year deal worth $69 million. Missing out on a veteran like Metcalf is undoubtedly a missed opportunity. Over his six-year career, Metcalf has already made two Pro Bowl appearances.
With 900 yards practically guaranteed since his rookie year, he also has three 1,000+ receiving-yard seasons, including a 2020 campaign that saw him put up 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. Instead, Maye will now have Hollins and Diggs as new faces and the additions New England brings in via the 2025 NFL Draft.
The latest mock draft from PFSN has the Patriots adding Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Hurricanes WR Xavier Restrepo in the first three rounds to give their quarterback more weapons to throw to. It remains to be seen how the new system under Vrabel functions. But so far, the offseason has to be a net positive for the Patriots.