Biggest winner of the Patriots' offseason so far is not who fans would expect

"The main aspect that needed to be upgraded to improve their chances of improved performance this fall was the offensive line. That was already expected to be a priority, mainly for Drake Maye's sake, but the running backs inevitably benefit, too."

"There's no reason for a group as talented as Henderson and Stevenson to struggle as much as they did last year, and we should've seen an explosive introduction to the NFL from the rookie far sooner than we did. Both certainly broke out at the right time, especially Stevenson near the end of the year, but that kind of production was needed all season long, and the offensive line's struggles were preventing that from happening."

"The Patriots have improved their running back room without even signing one. Besides the issue of keeping Maye upright, since he was sacked 47 times in 2025, and that being a reason for an improved offensive line, the inconsistent production from the running backs was also something that needed to be addressed."

The Patriots' backfield of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson requires minimal improvement, but their offensive line needed significant upgrades to support both quarterback Drake Maye and the running backs. The team addressed this by signing left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and moving Jared Wilson to center, creating a stronger blocking unit. Additional support comes from a blocking tight end and fullback. While Maye benefits from improved pass protection after being sacked 47 times in 2025, Henderson and Stevenson are the bigger winners, as the offensive line struggles previously limited their production. Both backs showed promise late in the season but inconsistent performance throughout 2025 reflected the line's inadequacies rather than their talent.

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