The New England Patriots will head into the 2025 season with an entirely new organizational feel. Coach Mike Vrabel is in charge now, and there are many new faces on both sides of the football.
With that being said, there are many returning faces to the roster in 2025 as well. Some had productive 2024 campaigns, even with the Patriots’ struggles. Others had productive runs with different organizations entirely.
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Regardless of the circumstances, both sides are looking to build off last season and reach new heights with the rebuilding Patriots.
Today, we’re going to take a look at players coming off breakout seasons who are in a position to build off that success in 2025. The recipe for success is already there for each of these four players, but they have to let their play do the talking to make it a lived reality.
Here are four Patriots players who should build off their previous breakout season:
LB Christian Elliss
Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss should be able to build off his 2024 breakout season. He went from being a mainstay on special teams to appearing on 49 percent of the defensive snaps.
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The linebacking unit was compromised early in the season after former captain Ja’Whaun Bentley went down with a season-ending injury. However, Elliss stepped up and contributed in a major way by recording 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and an interception.
With Jahlani Tavai dealing with an injury, Elliss could have a real chance to make some noise in training camp.
QB Drake Maye
This may seem like an obvious choice for this particular piece, but a strong rookie season from quarterback Drake Maye gave Patriots fans hope for a solid second year.
All told, Maye recorded 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions behind a struggling offensive line and a clear lack of receiving talent. Despite the lack of help around him, the former North Carolina standout still made the Pro Bowl in his rookie season.
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There’s hope that things will be different in 2025 with many of the upgrades on offense, including the arrival of four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs and rookie Kyle Williams. Maye will also have a revamped offensive line with a new franchise left tackle in rookie Will Campbell.
The most successful franchises build around their quarterback, and the Patriots spent the entire offseason doing that for Maye.
WR Kayshon Boutte
Kayshon Boutte went from hauling in only two catches for 19 yards in 2023 to becoming one of the Patriots’ top receiving targets in 2024.
The LSU product recorded 43 catches for 589 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. He was arguably the top vertical threat for the Patriots on offense last season. When Drake Maye wanted to go downfield with the ball, he often looked in Boutte’s direction.
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It remains to be seen how he’ll fit on offense with all of the new additions in New England. As long as he continues to prove himself on the practice field, there will be opportunities for him to make an impact on game days.
EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson
K’Lavon Chassion was viewed as a highly-touted defender when the Jacksonville Jaguars took him with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. However, things didn’t work out in Jacksonville, and he soon found himself bouncing between the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders in 2024.
His breakout season came in the form of a career-year in Las Vegas with him racking up 32 tackles, five sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble. He seems to be playing with a different purpose now, and that could serve him well through training camp and the regular season.
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Chaisson showed flashes of being a playmaker during the spring practices, and there’s hope that newly-hired defensive coordinator Terrell Williams will get the most out of his talent.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 4 Patriots players who should build off breakout seasons