ESPN Predicts Patriots Drake Maye Will Be as Good as Jayden Daniels

With 100 days until the NFL Season, ESPN's Ben Solak decided to release 100 predictions and things to know before the season gets underway. He shared his thoughts on who the sleepers will be ahead of this season, highlighted some big matchups to look out for, and offered some interesting predictions on certain teams and players. One big prediction or "intrusive thought," as he called it, was that the New England Patriots should feel just as confident about their future as the Washington Commanders do.

He started this section by saying that Jayden Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons ever, and that the Commanders should be ecstatic about their future. However, he then says that he is just as impressed, if not more impressed, by Drake Maye, even with Daniels' historic season. He mentions that the fact that Maye shined in such a dysfunctional offense says just as much about Daniels exceeding expectations in a way better offense.

He then says that statistically, Maye was not even in the same league as Daniels because Maye did not start until week six, and because Daniels did have one of the best rookie seasons ever seen. Nonetheless, Solak then says that in terms of degree of difficulty that Maye was 'playing a completely different sport.' 

Maye had to deal with the worst offensive line in the NFL, one of the weakest receiving rooms in the NFL, and a struggling first-year head coach. Daniels had a true number one target, a head coach who has been to a Super Bowl, and a really solid offensive line.

The Patriots signed two new offensive linemen in the offseason, right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury, and they drafted left tackle Will Campbell out of LSU with the fourth overall pick in the draft. They are also getting Cole Strange back from injury, so potentially the only returning offensive line starter from last season would be Michael Onwenu, who was already considered the Patriots' best offensive lineman. 

Maye showed a lot of promise with the worst offensive line in the NFL, so with a new and revamped offensive line, the ceiling for Drake Maye is in the stars. The addition of a few new playmakers will also make Maye's like a lot easier. The Patriots signed Mack Hollins and star receiver Stefon Diggs in free agency, and they drafted Washington State receiver Kyle Williams in the third round and Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round.