Today we will look at the QB’s and TE’s.
Quarterbacks
Drake Maye – The third year QB is coming off a season that saw him lead the team to a Super Bowl appearance. He was also the runner-up in the MVP voting. I think the voting was biased in that Maye was criticized for playing a weaker schedule and the voters tend to select an older more experienced QB rather than the Young Turk, whom they feel will have other opportunities in his career.
Maye’s 2025 Regular Season Stats
2025 Regular Season (NE Patriots)
- Passing: 354/492, 72.0% completion, 8.9 Y/A, 4,394 yards, 31 TD, 8 INT, 72 sacks allowed, 113.5 passer rating, 77.1 QBR.
- Rushing: 103 carries, 4.4 YPC, 450 yards, 4 TD, longest run 28 yards.
- Receiving: 1 reception, 2 yards, 0 TD.
- Postseason passing: 70/120, 6.9 Y/A, 6 TD, 4 INT, 82.2 passer rating, 40.0 QBR.
- Postseason rushing: 29 carries, 178 yards, 6.1 YPC, 1 TD.
Maye’s Post-Season stats are down because he played against 4 top 5 Defenses.
I expect Maye to have another jump this season, and here is why. The Offensive line is better with the addition of Alijah Vera-Tucker at Left Guard. When healthy, he is a top 5 Guard in the league. The idea of playing two rookies next to each other was a stupid idea, and it showed in the Super Bowl. Garrett Bradbury has been replaced by Jared Wilson. Each 2nd-year player will have veterans next to them helping them out.
The Wide Receiver room is better with AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs. However, the most important jump is that he is playing in Josh McDaniels’ system for a 2nd year. Do you realize this is the 1st time since Maye was a Junior in High School that he has played in the same offensive system two years in a row? Maye showed in OTAs and Mini Camp a clear understanding and command of the Offense. He was given only 18 seconds to get the ball snapped in the red zone. He varied the time to snap to throw off the Defense. A.J. Brown was very impressed by Maye in the brief amount of work they have done together. Maye’s leadership was very evident.
Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito – I liked the addition of DeVito when the Patriots claimed him off waivers on cutdown day. Devito was a better option than Dobbs, and the Patriots agreed with me and waived Dobbs, giving DeVito the backup job. When DeVito played at Syracuse, I did not like his play. It wasn’t until he transferred to Illinois that he had a breakout season. These are DeVito’s college stats:
- Games Played: 39
- Passing Yards: Over 6,000 yards across all seasons
- Passing Touchdowns: 43
As a Pro
Career G AV QBrec Cmp% Yds Y/A TD Int
12 5 3-5-0 65.3 1358 6.1 8 3
With DeVito as the backup, I think the Patriots are in a better position than last year.
Behren Morton – the 7th-round draft pick (234) was a surprise during OTAs. He was ranked lower in the draft because he was thought to have a weak arm. Morton had a shoulder injury in 2023 that lingered into 2024, causing him to miss the bowl game. In 2025, he had a leg injury that was misdiagnosed as a dislocated knee. He missed the second half of the game but came back and played the next game and finished the regular season. At the Combine, it was discovered that he played the season with a broken leg. It was his right, plant leg. This could be the reason for the loss of velocity. At OTAs and Mini-Camp, it was reported that he was zipping the ball into tight windows. I was critical of the pick after the draft, but it appears the Front Office may have found a gem. Morton is a leader, but he stands just 6’2” and weighs 218 pounds.
College stats:
- 2024: Started 12 games (295-466-63.3, 3,335 yards, 27 TDs, 8 INTs passing; TD rushing). Missed the team’s bowl game because he had shoulder surgery after the regular season.
- 2025: Honorable Mention All-Big 12. Started 12 games (219-332-66.0, 2,780, 22 TDs, 6 INTs passing). Played with an undiagnosed hairline fracture in his right fibula during the second half of the season.
Tight Ends
Hunter Henry – Henry had a terrific season last year with 60 Catches on 87 Targets for 768 Yards, 12.8 YPC, and 7 TDs. He led the team in receiving TDs. His Reception and Target totals were second on the team. Henry turns 32 by the end of this year. He had some injuries last season and missed some time. Over 30 players are more susceptible to injuries. The Patriots didn’t re-sign Austin Hooper, another 31-year-old TE and drafted only 1 TE. That was a mistake.
Julian Hill – The former Miami Dolphin TE was signed as a Free Agent. His contract was a serious upgrade (some say overpay) to secure the primarily blocking TE. Per OTA reports, Hill was showing more promise as a receiver, and the coaches were excited. That all came to a crashing halt with Hill suffering a catastrophic knee injury that will cost Hill the season. His injury really puts the Patriots behind the 8-ball. They were counting on Hill to provide blocking in the run game, and there is now a void.
Eli Raridon – I can’t see rookie Eli Raridon filling the roll of Hill. It will take some time for Raridon to adjust to the speed of the game at the NFL level. The 3rd round draft pick (96) was taken ahead of where he was projected, but that had more to do with the run on TEs in the draft and combined with the two trades the Patriots made using both of their 4th round draft picks. Raridon was not going to be available in the 5th round. At Notre Dame, the 6’6”, 242-pound TE ran a 4.62 40-yard dash, which is very good for a TE. Rairdon’s college career started slowly, coming off a torn ACL in High School, followed by a re-tear of the same knee as a Freshman. He had 48 Receptions for 623 Yards, 13.1 YPC, and 3 TDs in his career. Raridon was not featured in the Fighting Irish Offense with two 1,000-yard 1st-round picks. Raridon did not have a TD catch in 2025. He is said to have very good straight-line speed but needs work on his run blocking.
Jack Westover – The 2024 UDFA, was asked to play fullback, which was a disaster. Khyris Tonga took over the fullback position. He also played the 3rd TE. He barely was good enough for his primary position. Now, with the Julian Hill injury, he has been thrust into the #2 TE role. If the Patriots go into the season with Jack Westover as their #2 TE, they are in trouble. Quite frankly, I don’t see Westover making the team.
CJ Dippre – Dippre was a 2025 UDFA who was signed off the Practice Squad late last season when another team was snooping around him. The 6’5”, 256-pound TE played at Alabama. He is known for his run blocking and comes from a family of weightlifters. If he was such a good run blocker, why did the team go out and sign Julian Hill. I see Dippre possibly making the Practice Squad again.
Tanner Arkin – Is a 6’4” 262-pound Blocking TE. He is not much of a receiver, but was a team Captain at Illinois. He had only 16 catches for 111 yards and 3 TDs in 2025. Let’s see what he can do in Training Camp and Pre-season games. I think the best chance he has is as a Practice Squad player.
Former Pats LB Steve Zabel Passes Away
Older Patriots fans will remember Zabel as a tough player. He was very active in the Patriots Alumni Association. Zabel was acquired from the Eagles by his College Head Coach, Chuck Fairbanks, and played 7 years for the Patriots.
In his ten-year career, he played in 124 games while starting in 95 of them. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 1970 Draft (6th) by the Eagles and was traded to the Patriots after a lengthy contract dispute with the Eagles. He went on to play 49 games for the Patriots between 1975 – 1978.
He was very active in the Players Union and organized a strike in a Pre-season game, which forced the cancellation of the game.
Zabel died on June 23rd 2026, at the age of 78.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
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It is indeed hard to expect Raridon to step right into Julian Hills role as TE is a hard spot for a rookie. He’ll likely phase in. I’d expect the Pats to use a 6th offensive lineman as a second TE. I think Lomu actually played TE early on in his carreer. Dippre? Yea, why spend appreciable FA money on Hill if you were high on Dippre who’s on a rookie deal. Arkin is a rookie like Raridon. If the Pats don’t pick up a veteran via trade or cut-downs, they have options they didn’t have last year. And Westover… Read more »