NFL scouts have high praise for Patriots ahead of 2025 season

While the New England Patriots have struggled in recent years, some NFL scouts believe that the franchise can challenge the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

The Patriots last had a winning season in 2021. In 2024, New England had its second straight 4-13 season. After years of being the standard that franchises around the league measure themselves too, the Patriots were one of the worst teams in the entire league.

But New England has made some additions in the offseason. New head coach Mike Vrabel has added on both sides of the ball, but arguably, the biggest acquisition comes on offense with Stefon Diggs joining the Patriots roster.

Diggs is the big-name wide receiver that New England had been missing. While he might be a little long in the tooth at 31 years old, he is an All-Pro-level wideout.

Considering all the changes that New England has made, scouts told ESPN's Mike Reiss that the Patriots could contend with the Bills in the AFC East.

"This is the best offseason they've had in a while. I feel like they're the Bills' biggest threat," one scout said.

"Look at the history of Vrabel's teams — they'll play hard and mirror his personality," another scout told Reiss.

Those are some big claims considering how poorly New England has played in recent years. While the New York Jets seem poised to take back the title of worst team in the AFC East after the Aaron Rodgers disaster, the Miami Dolphins still are a talented franchise.

Buffalo also has one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen. The Bills remain the favorites in the AFC East and will once again compete for a trip to the Super Bowl.

While the Patriots are likely to improve, it is hard to see the Pats all of a sudden becoming contenders. They should improve on their 4-13 record, but just making it over .500 would be a massive success. New England is on the path to becoming the top team in the AFC East once again, but it seems unlikely that 2025 will be the year it regains the crown.