Building Blocks Vol. 1: The Patriots Roster: Who’s Worth the Content?

Alright, PML team, we’re back for the first official breakdown! We’re kicking things off with the New England Patriots. The goal here is simple: look at the young guys on the roster and figure out who is a true "Attribute Request Eater"—the player that is worth the time, effort, and points to turn into a monster.

I’m gonna go position-by-position, talk through the pros and cons, and give a final grade on how good of a "Building Block" each player is for our special development rules.

Quarterback

Drake Maye (QB)

• Pros: He’s the young franchise QB. We have him locked up for four full seasons, which means we only need one season of content to make him elite before his contract negotiation. Good physical tools are already there.

• Cons: QB is the easiest position to get upgrades in-game if you can just complete passes. We don't want to waste points here if he’s already progressing fast.

• Overall Grade: B

• The Vibe: We only need to spend points here for one season, tops, just to boost his Awareness and get his Dev Trait up fast. After that, let him cook in the game.

Running Backs

TreVeyon Henderson (RB)

• Pros: He’s young, cheap, and already has the Star Dev Trait. He has a good base rating.

• Cons: He’s not a blazing fast, top-tier athlete for his size. In a league where bad tackling is common, RBs level up fast just by getting touches.

• Overall Grade: C

• The Vibe: Unless we have a huge overflow of points, let him level naturally. If we do use points, we should only hit his Receiving ability, like Catching or Route Running, to make him a true three-down back. Find a better option to invest in.

Wide Receivers

Demario Douglas & Kayshon Boutte

• Overall Grade: D (Both)

• The Vibe: Honestly, nothing appealing here. Douglas needs a contract soon and isn't great physically. Boutte is similar. They are middling talents and just not worth the massive time investment we need to make them great. We should be avoiding players that are just "okay."

Ja’Lynn Polk (WR)

• Pros: Good size and he's young with a friendly contract. He’s the kind of guy who can go up and get the ball in a jump ball situation.

• Cons: Not an elite athlete.

• Overall Grade: C

• The Vibe: He’s a good depth piece, which is fine, but not someone we break the bank (or the content budget) on. He can wait.

Kyle Williams (WR)

• Pros: This is the guy. He’s only 22, has a Star Dev Trait, and a great base Speed of 92. He’s built for this.

• Cons: None really, we just need to use content to develop his technique.

• Overall Grade: B

• The Vibe: He is probably my favorite offensive target. We can use Attribute Requests to load up his Route Running, Catching Traffic, and Release to make him a true number one receiver. Combine content with his already great physicals, and he’s going to be huge.

Offensive Line

Will Campbell (OL)

• Pros: A first-round pick means we have five years of control! That term is gold. He’s a guaranteed "Building Block" piece.

• Cons: He gets an A- instead of a flat A because he’s already close to maxing out the basic upgrades (which usually cap around 85 for certain physicals). I also wish he was a little stronger.

• Overall Grade: A-

• The Vibe: A must-build player. That five-year term means we can sink points into his Pass Block Power and Run Block Finesse for years without worrying about a new contract.

Jared Wilson (OL)

• Pros: Young age and a Star Dev Trait.

• Cons: Low 70s overall and low Strength makes the journey to elite status tough.

• Overall Grade: B-

• The Vibe: He’s an okay piece. If we have extra points after feeding Campbell and Williams, sure, go for it. But he’s not a top priority for now.

Defensive Line & Linebackers

Joshua Farmer (DT)

• Pros: He has good term and a Star Dev Trait.

• Cons: He’s not good in any category. Not strong enough to be a Nose Tackle, and not athletic enough to be a defensive end.

• Overall Grade: C

• The Vibe: We can skip him. The Patriots already have their DT situation figured out, and Farmer just doesn't offer enough to warrant the content investment.

Marte Marpu (UTIL/S/LB)

• Pros: He’s tall, athletic, and a great user prospect (meaning we control him and his abilities matter more).

• Cons: He’s 25 years old and going to need a contract soon. We don’t have much time to develop him before we have to pay him.

• Overall Grade: C+

• The Vibe: Only build him if we have a ton of points just sitting around. If he were 22, he’d be an A. Since he’s 25, the short contract window makes him a riskier investment.

Final Verdict: Patriots Building Blocks

Overall Patriots Building Blocks Grade: C+

The Patriots don’t have a roster full of those exciting, elite young guys we want to dump points into. We have a few key targets, but not a ton of "Attribute Request Eaters."

Our top priorities for content development are clear:

1. Will Campbell (OL): Five years of control and a high base skill. Essential.

2. Kyle Williams (WR): Great speed and Star Dev. The perfect kind of receiver project.

We need to be focusing our content on those two to start, and maybe Drake Maye for a year. The rest of the team can wait for now.