Patriots' Biggest Question for 2025 Surrounds Drake Maye

The New England Patriots have managed to address a bundle of lingering questions for this offseason heading into the next regular season campaign.

Whether it be the extensive coaching turnover, the various free agency additions via the team's earlier spending spree, or a variety of appealing additions within last month's draft, the Patriots have remained both busy and productive in positioning this group in the best place to get back to being a competitive squad for 2025.

With the latest offseason moves in the book, the Patriots could very well make those strides as early as year one of the Mike Vrabel era. However, the ceiling of this New England group could inevitably revolve around one major question, and the player at the core of that question might be none other than Drake Maye.

CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin recently laid out the Patriots' biggest question entering the 2025 season, keeping centered on one main focus: "How far can Drake Maye leap in Year 2?"

"Most gave the young gunslinger positive reviews for a poised rookie debut," Benjamin wrote. "Now Maye's got a better line (headlined by Will Campbell and Garrett Bradbury), and a new No. 1 wideout in Stefon Diggs. Then there's Mike Vrabel's physical touch and reloaded defense. Is a run at the division crown too much to ask?"

Thanks to the Patriots' multiple offseason adjustments, a playoff berth and even a push for the division may not be out of the realm of imagination. Yet, how high this New England team goes really depends on Maye's production and ability to elevate this offense.

Maye showed out a ton of eye-catching traits during his rookie season, including his massive, talented arm, ability to be a playmaker with his legs, and impressive 67% completion percentage in his first 12 career starts, surging onto the scene as an impact player much earlier than initially expected for his first year in the mix.

It's not hard to imagine the 22-year-old soon being on the verge of a breakout campaign with another season of exceeding expectations, and if the UNC product does make that happen, then the outlook of this coming New England season could shift for the better rather quickly.

The tools are all there for Maye to become the future star he was advertised to be, but can he put all the pieces together as early as his third year pro? Time will tell if the budding signal caller can make that feat happen.