Entering the second year of his NFL career, it seems like New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye could be set to receive a major honor ahead of next season.
According to ESPN insider Mike Reiss, the expectation is for Maye to emerge as a captain on New England's roster for the 2025 season.
"Drake Maye is entrenched as the starter and primed to have the 'C' on his jersey as a first-time Patriots captain in his second season," Reiss wrote. "Joshua Dobbs was signed to a two-year, $8 million deal as a free agent to serve as his veteran mentor/support system."
It was hard not to expect the Patriots' lead signal caller to have what it takes to be named a starter within this offense entering next season, but Reiss' intel all but confirms it."
Looking back at the Patriots' batch of captains from the 2024 campaign, it was a vastly different group from who remains on the roster now, including David Andrews, Joe Cardona, Jacoby Brissett, Ja'Whaun Bentley, Deatrich Wise Jr., and Jabrill Peppers.
Now, only one name from that previous list remains on the current roster for this season, setting the stage for a whole new cast of captains to lead the charge in Mike Vrabel's first year at the helm.
With Maye getting enough NFL reps under his belt across his rookie campaign, and now entering a critical second season for his development, obtaining that "C" patch is the next step in becoming not only one of the NFL's premier young quarterbacks, but also one of the best leaders the league has to offer.
During his rookie season, Maye finished the year starting in 12 games to collect 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and ten interceptions on a 66.6% completion rate. Heading into year two, expect those numbers to keep climbing.
While the Patriots' third-overall pick from a season ago seems all but locked into that captain role, keep an eye on who else around the roster can make a run for that honor alongside him.
