Giving franchise quarterback Drake Maye everything he needs continues to influence the main personnel decisions made by the New England Patriots, including making a big change at wide receiver this offseason.
The change relates to the profile of players at the vital position, according to Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar. He took notice this offseason of “how big many of the pass-catchers are in Maye’s arsenal: Raridon (6-6), Henry (6-5), Hollins (6-4), Doubs (6-2), and Brown (6-1) all have good size. Kayshon Boutte (5-11), Kyle Williams (5-10), and DeMario Douglas (5-8) aren’t quite as big. But the Patriots have mostly built a lineup filled with power forwards and centers, perhaps to cater to the QB’s preferences.”
Many of those pass-catchers listed by Lazar were on the roster last season, but the three main new recruits all helped the Patriots get bigger among Maye’s receiver corps. The most notable of the new additions is still trade recruit A.J. Brown.
He’s the bruiser whose ability to bully man coverage plays to Maye’s biggest strength. Brown fits how the Patriots are changing at receiver, in the same way as other key newcomers.
Patriots Committed to Wide Receiver Change
The Patriots’ desire to be more physical at wideout can be summed up by the decision to replace last season’s leading receiver Stefon Diggs with Brown. While 6-foot, 191-pound Diggs was released, Brown is one inch taller and 35 pounds heavier.
GettyBrown’s arrival is key to how the Patriots are changing Maye’s receiving corps.
Unleashing Brown on the perimeter gives Maye a contested-catch merhcant able to body defensive backs. A similar shift in physicality can take place on the inside, provided bulkier Romeo Doubs beats Douglas and 5-foot-10, 198-pounder Efton Chism III to the slot role.
Doubs may have arrived with a “super power” warning, but he can win on the inside as what Lazar dubs “a ‘big’ slot.” Somebody who “is a sturdy target on slants, unders, and spot/option routes over the middle.”
Adding bigger targets to the depth chart wasn’t the extent of the Patriots’ change of profile. They also have an extra muscle plan for second-year deep threat Williams.
All of this adds up to Maye being surrounded by receivers who can turn even his most errant throws into catches and positive plays.
Drake Maye’s Development Safeguard by Changes
Building on his near-MVP 2025 campaign is a tall order for Maye, but the Patriots are being smart about how they’re safeguarding his development. Surrounding their QB1 with so-called “power forwards” has given Maye easier targets to aim for from the pocket.
Staying in the pocket for longer is near the top of Maye’s to-do list during his second season in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system. It’s why McDaniels has Maye copying a skill from franchise legend Tom Brady.
GettyMaye is learning new tricks with different receivers.
Maye can be more like Brady if he trusts Brown, Doubs and Co. to consistently box defenders out of the catch radius. That’s the desired end goal for the changes at wide receiver and the extra nuance being added to Maye’s game before the snap.
Quicker, more decisive throws to bigger wideouts, open thanks to better pre-snap manipulation of coverage matchups, can help Maye continue trending in the right direction toward becoming elite.
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