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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts during the second quarter of Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots added a bunch of firepower to a roster that came within one victory of a championship last season.
An NFL analyst sees a potential concern beneath all of that talent.
Robert Mays questioned the long-term construction of New England’s roster during The Athletic Football Show’s Patriots preview.
“I think this entire thing is built on a more fragile foundation than you want it to be,” Mays said.
His doubt centered on how few homegrown players from the Patriots’ 2023 and 2024 draft classes have developed into main pieces. Mays specifically pointed to Christian Gonzalez and Drake Maye as the obvious successes from that stretch.
It’s a pointed warning for a team coming off a 14-3 season, an AFC championship and an appearance in Super Bowl LX. New England finished second in the NFL with 28.8 points per game before winning three playoff games to reach the Super Bowl.
The Patriots have since brought in more talent, but Mays’ argument focuses on whether they can sustain that level once veteran contracts and future extensions begin piling up.
Patriots’ Recent Draft Classes Draw Scrutiny
The 2023 class helps explain the concern.
New England made 12 selections that year, beginning with Gonzalez at No. 17 overall. The group also produced DeMario Douglas in the sixth round, but much of the class has since scattered elsewhere.
One of its more productive members, Kayshon Boutte, was traded to Houston in August for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick. Boutte had caught 33 passes for 551 yards and six touchdowns during New England’s 2025 run.
The 2024 group has thinned out even further.
The Patriots selected eight players that year, starting with Maye at No. 3 overall. New England’s official rundown of the class included seven selections after its franchise quarterback.
Maye is now the only member of that class remaining with the Patriots after Marcellas Dial Jr. departed following roster cuts.
Mays’ characterization was sweeping — Douglas remains from 2023 — but the broader worry is difficult to dismiss. New England landed franchise-level players with its first-round selections while receiving considerably less lasting value from the rest of those two drafts.
New England’s Aggressive Additions Raise the Roof
There’s another side to the roster discussion.
The Patriots have aggressively surrounded Maye with proven talent, most notably acquiring A.J. Brown and adding Romeo Doubs.
Dave Helman highlighted that strength during the same Athletic Football Show discussion. Brown finished 17th in yards per route run last season, while Doubs ranked 29th, giving New England two receivers who finished inside the top 30 by that metric.
Brown also comes off a 1,003-yard season, and Doubs posted a career-best 724 receiving yards in 2025.
Those additions should help a team that demonstrated capability of competing deep into January.
Mays’ warning looks further down the road.
Trades and free agency can elevate a contender quickly, and New England has been willing to use both routes to reinforce the roster. Sustaining success eventually requires inexpensive draft picks to develop into starters and dependable role players as established veterans become more expensive.
Maye and Gonzalez are premium building blocks at two of football’s most important positions.
Finding more homegrown support around them could determine whether Mays’ “fragile foundation” concern becomes a lasting issue or just a warning New England manages to outgrow.
Duncan Day is a sports contributor for Heavy. He has covered NFL, NBA, hockey and soccer for various outlets, including NBC Sports, Boston.com, USA TODAY, Forbes, Bleacher Report, The Dallas Morning News and more. More about Duncan Day
