Editor’s note: This is the ninth story in a 10-part series looking at the most intriguing New England Patriots players ahead of training camp.Previously: Kyle Williams, Christian Gonzalez, Gabe Jacas, Romeo Doubs, Harold Landry, Alijah Vera-Tucker, TreVeyon Henderson, and Will CampbellIt’s easy to forget or discount after their disappointing showing in the Super Bowl, but the New England Patriots produced the NFL’s best offense last season. They ranked No. 1 in expected points added per play, No. 1 in EPA per dropback, No. 1 in passing success rate, No. 1 in explosive play percentage, and second in points per game and yards per play.While there were several reasons for their success, none were more important than the breakout performance of second-year quarterback Drake Maye. He finished second in MVP voting and arguably should’ve won it. He led the league in completion percentage, yards per attempt and quarterback rating. And he did all of that with, frankly, a just-OK supporting cast.That last part is why there’s so much excitement around Maye and the Patriots entering this season. The thinking is simple: If that’s what Maye could do last year with a middling setup, imagine what he could do this year with, at least on paper, a better offensive line, a better running game and better wide receivers.The quarterback will always be one of a team’s most intriguing players entering training camp. But Maye is especially fascinating, given the kind of season that could be on deck.HistoryMaye’s path to the Patriots is well known. He was one of the country’s top high school prospects, but he chose to stay home and attend the University of North Carolina rather than play at Alabama.After that, it was an open question as to whether Maye or Jayden Daniels would be the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft behind Caleb Williams. The Patriots, at No. 3, were prepared to pick whichever fell to them.Fortunately for them, it was Maye. Even though he arrived in New England in a horrific situation that featured a depleted roster and a coaching staff in over its head, it was clear from the beginning that he had all the tools. All he needed was a bit more coaching.That came last season when Mike Vrabel became the head coach, and Josh McDaniels ran the offense. Following the coaching upgrade, Maye is about to get an influx of talent around him in the form of a much-improved roster.Offseason recapMaye didn’t end up needing surgery to address the injury he suffered to his throwing shoulder during the playoffs. He’s mostly kept a low profile this offseason, even after all the success that came a year ago.Maye was present for all of the team’s voluntary practices, and had some really strong moments (plus a few uncharacteristic mishaps) in those. But a few voluntary spring practices are hardly a reason for concern or optimism.Instead, what was telling was what the coaching staff wanted Maye to work on. They want him more in control of the offense, so they spent time at practice without giving Maye a play call, hoping he could figure out what to run on the fly based on what the defense was doing.Harry Kane, his love for the Patriots and Tom BradyJack Pitt-Brooke and Rachael TindeX-factorCrazy as it is to say, this is the first time since high school that Maye has been a starting quarterback in the same offense in back-to-back years.He worked with McDaniels last year after having Alex Van Pelt in his helmet the year before. At North Carolina, he had two different coordinators in his two years as a starter. So, you have to go back to high school for the last time that Maye experienced consistency with his offensive scheme.Maybe that won’t mean much by the end of next season, but his comfort and familiarity in this offense should give him an advantage early on.Reasons for optimism You could pretty much look at any facet of playing quarterback and find reasons for optimism for Maye, who is still just 23 years old. He’s an accurate passer. He throws a great deep ball. He scrambles well. Coaches rave about his maturity and understanding of complex schemes.Combine all of that with a roster that got a lot better with the additions of AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs at wide receiver, and Maye should be in store for another massive season.Essentially, there is no shortage of reasons to be optimistic about Maye.Reasons for concernRegression would be natural. It can be hard to envision after Maye dazzled a year ago and now returns to the same offense with an improved supporting cast, but Tom Brady is perhaps the only quarterback this century who was regression-proof. It happens. Especially for young quarterbacks.Almost no quarterback delivers back-to-back MVP-caliber seasons at 23 and 24 years old. So, yes, perhaps some regression comes for Maye.Maybe the only other reason for some pause is Maye’s health. He was so effective as a scrambler last season, but he needs to improve at avoiding hits, whether that’s by sliding more effectively or getting out of bounds. The injury he suffered to his throwing shoulder shouldn’t be an issue going forward, but it can underscore the importance of Maye avoiding contact this season.What to watch in campA year ago, Maye developed fast chemistry with a new group of wide receivers led by Stefon Diggs. Now, he’ll need to do the same with Brown and Doubs.His connection with Brown will be especially intriguing, since Brown was such a late addition to the roster and only had a few practices with the Pats this spring.The Patriots have pinned a lot of their 2026 hopes on what they envision as a dominant connection between Maye and Brown. So, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly that comes together when training camp begins in a little over one week.