The New England Patriots won’t be helping prospective franchise quarterback Drake Maye by signing All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp, and at least one observer wants to know why. Especially when the franchise gave Nelson Agholor $12 million per year back in 2021, but apparently wouldn’t add $3 million to that annual figure for Super Bowl 56 MVP and former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Kupp.
That decision left Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal fuming and confused. Speaking on the “Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast,” he told “Everything Pats” podcast host Nick Cattles on the why the decision not to go all in for Kupp didn’t make sense.
According to Bedard, “Here’s the other thing about Cooper Kupp. This is the same franchise that, four years ago, paid Nelson Agholor $12 million a year. Cooper Kupp’s not worth that? Cooper Kupp’s not worth $15 million, when you’re paying Nelson Agholor? Like, I just don’t get it.”
Cattles agreed and expressed his belief the Patriots still haven’t done enough to help Maye during 2025 NFL free agency. As Cattles put it, the No. 1 priority this offseason was to help your quarterback, and so far, Mack Hollins ain’t it. I like Mack, but he ain’t it. Morgan Moses, right tackle, that helps for sure, but we came in saying left tackle, wide receiver. Drake Maye needs help there. And so far, you haven’t done it.”
Bedard and Cattles had their discussion mere hours before Kupp found his new home. Whatever the Patriots were or were not planning for Kupp, the 32-year-old ultimately opted to return to his home state of Washington and join the Seattle Seahawks on a three-year deal reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday, March 14.
Kupp may not have been at the top of the list of wideouts the Patriots are keen to acquire, although not everybody is convinced. What is clear is adding a big-play receiver has to be the focus for general manager Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel during what’s left of free agency and in this year’s draft.
Patriots Prepared to Look Beyond Cooper Kupp
A pass-catcher with Kupp’s track record doesn’t become available often, and the Patriots were long thought to be among his logical suitors. Cattles even pointed out Kupp “would sign with the Patriots, it feels like, you know when you’re read everything Jeff Howe and Giardi and Andrew Callahan last night saying he’s done some research about the New England area. It feels like he’d be willing to come to New England for, let’s say, $15 million.”
That was the right number, but the Patriots had their own price in mind and anything else would’ve been too expensive. Watching the cost isn’t a necessity for the most cap-rich team in the league, but price tag may not be the only reason the Pats didn’t break the bank for Kupp.
Perhaps they are looking for a different type of wide receiver. A taller, more physical mismatch than 6-foot-2, 207-pound Kupp. Maybe money is being held back to fund a trade for a smash-mouth favorite of Vrabel’s from his days with the Tennessee Titans.
There are still options in free agency, including “Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, and Brandin Cooks,” per MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels.
The Patriots aren’t short of ways to improve the pass-catchers at Maye’s disposal. It’s also not fair to suggest the franchise isn’t supporting its gifted QB1.
Especially when Vrabel has seen a different way of building around a young signal-caller work.
Patriots Using Tom Brady Template for Drake Maye
Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a player for the Patriots in the early 2000s. He saw how former head coach Bill Belichick built a team around a youthful Tom Brady at football’s most important position.
Belichick supported talented but raw Brady with a strong defense, a capable coaching staff and tough veterans on both sides of the ball. Vrabel and Wolf have delivered defensive reinforcements with a narrative-destroying game-wrecker up front and a $54 million deal for handsy cornerback Carlton Davis.
Tough veterans like Hollins and Moses will prop Maye up when the pressure increases offensively. So will a returning clutch target who’s a favorite of the quarterback.
Yes, there’s still room for a bluechip receiver, but it’s not as if the Patriots haven’t tried to splash the cash at the position. That approach didn’t work with Agholor, who wound up with the Baltimore Ravens after one disappointing season at Gillette Stadium.
Vrabel and Wolf can’t be held accountable for that turn of events. They need to be judged on how they improve the roster around Maye.
Fortunately, there’s still time to add some weapons.
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