The 2026 season will begin just as the 2025 postseason ended, with the Patriots taking on the Seahawks.
In theory, that could be bad news for quarterback Drake Maye, who was effectively running for his life on the field in Santa Clara throughout Super Bowl LX.
While this matchup will have considerably lower stakes for the two teams, Maye and the Patriots would certainly like to reverse the result in Week 1.
“I think it’s a chance for us to get some extra motivation during training camp, starting off with a bang like that — a chance to get an opponent that left a bad taste in our mouth,” Maye said in his Wednesday press conference. “So I think for us, it’s going to really make us work. We’ve got to bring it Week 1 — on the road in a tough environment. They’re going to be hanging their banner, and that’s a part of it.
“So, it’s going to be interesting, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be a tough task. It’ll be something for us to gain some extra motivation, and make training camp better.”
Maye noted that he “definitely” watched the Super Bowl loss, largely to learn from it and see what specifically he could improve.
“For me, on the biggest stage, a big game, I had a lot of plays I wish I had back,” Maye said. “And at such a young point in my career where I can still learn so much, first time playing that defense. So, you can learn things and learn about the game. So I think there’s definitely some parts that you maybe throw [away], that I maybe skip, or know that, no, I don’t want to watch that again. But definitely the game, I think you learn so much from mistakes you make yourself.”
Maye, who finished second in AP MVP voting last season, finished Super Bowl LX 27-of-43 for 295 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a lost fumble. During the regular season, Maye completed 72.0 percent of his throws for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight picks.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel met with reporters on Wednesday, for the first time since a pair of brief appearances at the height of the controversy that prompted him to miss the third day of the 2026 draft.
He was asked several questions about the issue that prompted him to step away for rounds four through seven. In multiple instances, Vrabel provided a short answer that responded to the question before pivoting to meandering football-related information.
One key question, asked at the 9:39 mark of the 18-minute, 35-second press conference, was whether he anticipates missing any more football activities for the rest of the offseason program.
“I mean, I can only tell you I’m gonna be there today, and I can’t tell you anything other than I’m gonna be out there today in full force,” Vrabel said. “And I mean that because, you know, who knows what’s gonna come up? I’m not even — you know, anything could happen. And so I’m gonna focus on today. But in the excitement that we’ve had and that we’ve built so far, and the conditioning that we’ve tried to incorporate into our practices and the weightlifting and all the things that are critical.”
The drip-drip of news regarding Vrabel’s relationship with reporter Dianna Russini has slowed down dramatically in recent weeks. But there’s one major development that could still happen, at some point. Russini could tell her story, in whatever format she chooses. Depending on what she says (and when she says it), that could in theory create another complication for Vrabel.
The first question regarding the off-field issues dealt generally with the distraction the scandal created.
“We all have to deal with things, you know, outside of here,” Vrabel said, “and my focus — and obviously, the excitement that I have for coaching — is what is most important right now, and this is a great opportunity, the spring, we don’t have to worry about opponents. We don’t have to worry about, you know, our schedule is pretty much the same.
“The players, it has a routine, and each and every day in the spring is similar. But it’s just about teaching. It’s about teaching these guys the scheme. We talked about having some enhancements, offensively and defensively and special teams, of stuff that we did well, you know, but that we’ll have to, you know, either dress up or modify slightly, so that’s what the spring’s time is about, and that’s really all we know, is being able to coach these guys and to teach them, help them, help them do their job. This is the time in the spring where they can focus on, you know, not only conditioning but, you know, all the details that are gonna help them. So that’s really all I know, and that’s really all I want to be able to do.”
He also was asked this question: “When we spoke to you last you were talking about the balance of family and football. How would you describe how that process has been going?”
“Really good,” Vrabel said. “I think that that’s — again, I appreciate — my family is great. I love [my wife] Jen. I love the boys. I love, you know, my personal friends, and then, you know, this spring is focused on, really, the coaching staff, the players, more importantly, than the coaching staff, but I just, you know, seeing the coaches in the second year, how smooth the conversations are, you know, ‘Hey, we love this play, how do we make it better?’”
He continued with a lengthy explanation of the offseason program, focusing on the differences between spring practice and training camp.
The back-and-forth with the media got mildly contentious when Vrabel was asked about the manner in which the team has been responding to him based on his “daily” reading of the room.
“Well, not every day,” Vrabel said, “Some of your sources probably aren’t as good. I don’t have a team meeting every day in the spring.”
For the most part, Vrabel seemed to be the coach he has always been. But the situation that became (and remained for weeks) the biggest story in the NFL lingers.
Those fumes will continue to dissipate, unless and until Russini decides to tell her story.
For much of the offseason, the expectation has been that the Eagles will trade receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots after June 1 — when Philadelphia can spread the dead cap charge for the transaction over multiple years.
There are players on New England’s roster who have spoken as if they believe the move is, at the very least, pretty close to a done deal.
But head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t really come close to that line when he was asked in his Wednesday press conference whether or not the Patriots might be looking at upgrading their group of wideouts, perhaps as soon as within the next week.
"[W]e want to continue to improve the roster at every opportunity that we get,” Vrabel said. “And when those opportunities arise, I don’t know. I know the guys that we have here are working extremely hard. I would say yesterday’s first OTA was much better than last year’s. I have to take the coaches’ opinion, because I didn’t go back and watch last year’s first day. But I felt like yesterday was really positive. It was good to see Romeo [Doubs] out there — it was good to see some of the new faces, some of the young guys.
“So, again, we’re going to look to strengthen the roster wherever we can. But it was also a great day to see guys who maybe didn’t get as many opportunities last year, especially Romeo, who wasn’t on our team.”
Vrabel, of course, cannot directly address Brown at this point, as that could constitute tampering.
But with June 1 now under a week away, it may not be long until coach and receiver are reunited.
Patriots receiver Kyle Williams, a third-round pick in 2025, had only 10 catches as a rookie, and only two in four postseason games. He’s hoping to make a major improvement in 2026.
Via Mike Reiss of ESPN, Williams has focused on improving his lower-body strength during the offseason. He has gained five to eight pounds.
Per Reiss, Williams says he’s in the range of 190 to 193 pounds.
Williams hopes to do more work in the middle of the field. He’s also intent on building chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye and mastering the team’s playbook.
The passing attack in New England undoubtedly will be very different this season. Stefon Diggs has been released. Romeo Doubs has arrived. And A.J. Brown could still be on the way.
Williams will have extra competition for reps and targets. The offseason work seems to be all about getting more than his 336 snaps in 2025 (31 percent) and 21 total regular-season targets.
June 1 is eight days away. An A.J. Brown trade is as little as nine days away.
As of June 2, the Eagles can trade Brown and spread the dead-money charge over two years. Most believe it’s just a matter of time before the trade happens. Most believe Brown will be traded to the Patriots.
Watch the video attached to this post. Patriots safety Kevin Byard and receiver Romeo Doubs recently spoke openly about the arrival of Brown as if it’s a done deal.
It’s entirely possible that the deal is unofficially done. Trade terms agreed to, and both teams keeping their mouths shut until Brown passes a physical and both teams communicate the terms of the transaction to the league office.
The Maxx Crosby fiasco from March was a lesson to all teams about not letting the cart get in front of the horse. Say nothing until the deal is official.
Could another team swoop in with a better offer? If the Patriots and Eagles have unofficially worked out a deal, and if both sides honor a transaction that remains unofficial until it becomes official, it’s too late for that.
Some are still suggesting the Rams could make a run at Brown. That ship sailed in March, when the Rams decided not to proceed based on the available medical information — and when the Rams allowed $24 million in 2026 compensation for receiver Davante Adams to become fully guaranteed.
If the Rams had done the deal, they would have traded Adams. It’s not impossible for someone else to enter the A.J. fray, especially if the Chiefs are suddenly having misgivings about whether Rashee Rice can be trusted after his recent probation violation.
For now, all signs are still pointing to Brown becoming a Patriot as soon as June 2.
