In a rookie season in which he was not given a start until Week Six, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye developed what one longtime NFL insider called a “mythical reputation” around the league.
“He went out and played with a not good team, without great talent, with an offensive line that should be talent — and really looked not very good, receivers that were not very good… and he looked good,” said NFL Network insider journalist Ian Rapoport on a podcast last week.
Making his debut as a starter on October 13 against the Houston Texans, the 22-year-old No. 3 overall draft pick went on to pass for 2,276 yards with a solid 66.6 percent completion rate — a tick above the league average of 65.3. Maye connected for 15 touchdowns, though his 10 interceptions in 11 games were the only caution sign in his rookie season. (Maye made a brief appearance for one sequence against the New York Jets in Week Four, and started the final game of the season but gave way to Joe Milton III after one series of downs.)
Maye Needs Better Receivers to Elevate His Game
All in all, an impressive rookie season. But what can Maye do in his sophomore year if the Patriots get him some better receivers?
Patriots pass catchers struggled throughout the 2024 season and were one significant reason, among many, why New England trudged to its second straight 4-13 finish despite Maye’s standout rookie campaign.
The Patriots ranked dead last in receiving yards with 3,343, and in yards before catch — that is, the total yards a ball traveled in the air before being caught — at 1,642.
They were not much better in yards after catch (YAC), ranking 27th with 1,701 and 23rd in average YAC with five. At 15th in dropped passes they were in the middle of the pack.
All of those numbers add up to bad news for Maye in his second season if they do not significantly improve, and without an upgrade in personnel, that improvement seems unlikely to happen.
That’s why it was good news for Maye, at least potentially, when the San Francisco 49ers announced on Sunday that veteran receiver and 2021 first-team All-Pro Deebo Samuel has requested a trade, and the team plans to honor his request.
Samuel came close to being a Patriot in the 2019 draft. Coming out of South Carolina, Samuel was taken by the 49ers in the second round, 36th overall.
But the Patriots had pick No. 32 that year and used it instead on Arizona State wide-out N’Keal Harry — a pick that quickly turned out to be a disastrous mistake. As Samuel went on to lead the NFL in average receiving yards in 2021, Harry was cut by the Patriots that year and was most recently spotted as a practice squad player for the Seattle Seahawks.
Patriots Strongly Urged to Trade for Samuel
The Patriots were linked to Samuel in the trade market immediately. One AFC team executive was quoted as saying the Patriots would be “foolish” not to attempt a trade for Samuel.
“One can assume the Patriots will be one of the teams contacted by Samuel and his representatives,” wrote Adam London of the Boston-area cable sports network NESN. “Not only is it imperative for New England to bolster Drake Maye’s arsenal of weapons this offseason, but the Patriots reportedly looked into possibly trading for Samuel last year.”
Samuel recorded 670 receiving yards in 2024, the lowest total of his career for any season in which he has played 15 games. But for the Patriots, the team’s top receiver was not even a wide-out but a tight end, Hunter Henry with 674 yards. Demario “Pop” Douglas was New England’s most productive wide receiver with 621 yards.
Trading for Samuel certainly looks like it would be good news for Maye.
