Merry Christmas!

The Patriots have two games left and needs galore, so what better time could there be to hand out some gifts?

Heading into 2025, here are the best gifts the Patriots could receive:

Drake Maye: a No. 1 receiver

Tee Higgins may be waiting in March anyway come free agency. But why wait?

The Patriots have sorely needed a go-to target ever since Julian Edelman began to fade down the stretch of the 2019 season. Think about how long that’s been.

Now consider how Maye lobbing downfield fades and go routes would look with Higgins on the receiving end, a 6-foot-4 weapon with a couple 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and 31 career touchdowns. The 25-year-old would instantly upgrade the Patriots offense and allow Maye to maximize his arm talent. Not to mention, take heat off an undermanned receiving corps where two rookies drafted in the top 110 picks can’t even crack the rotation.

Rhamondre Stevenson: Stickum

Outlawed by the NFL in 1981, stickum — or pick your glove adhesive of choice — would help Stevenson with his biggest problem and top job of any running back: holding on to the ball.

Stevenson coughed up his seventh fumble of the season last Sunday in Buffalo, an inexcusable number. The Patriots haven’t benched him because they have few weapons around their best running back, though that title may not be up for grabs the way Antonio Gibson is breaking tackles. Anyway, get Stevenson to keep the ball, so he can keep his job and the offense afloat.

Jerod Mayo: A call with Kevin Kelley

Remember the Arkansas high school coach who got famous for never punting?

His name is Kevin Kelley, a nine-time state champion who received national attention from The New York Times, Sports Illustrated and the Wall Street Journal for attempting every fourth down and onside kick available to him. Bill Belichick used to consult with Kelley, but never mind about that.

This is about more aggressive in-game management, and chasing wins instead of sidestepping defeat. The Patriots are 3-12, with literally nothing else to lose. Get Mayo on the phone with Kelley to better learn why punting on fourth-and-5 at midfield while trailing by 10 with eight and a half minutes left, like he did Sunday, was a bad idea.

Eliot Wolf: A couple blank checks

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) stands on the sideline next to Eliot Wolf, the team’s executive vice president of player personnel, during the first half of a NFL preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 in Foxboro. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

The Patriots have a desirability problem.

Brandon Aiyuk said no last summer. Calvin Ridley said no last spring. Several coaching candidates turned them down last winter when Mayo and Wolf were building a new coaching staff.

The Patriots will need to make godfather offers in free agency and perhaps sooner if/when Mayo replaces some assistants (all but a guarantee). That starts with Wolf using his league network and offering top dollar with ownership’s approval to lure better coaches and evaluators. Then, make the same top-dollar offers to big-ticket free agents like Higgins and Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley.

Eliot Wolf pt. 2: a Steelers offensive scout

Canning Belichick did nothing to break the front office’s curse of missing on every wide receiver draft pick. See: Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.

But you know who historically has picked wideouts with the best of them? The Steelers.

The Patriots desperately need some impact rookies to arrive next year and in 2026, especially while Maye remains on his cost-controlled rookie contract. In Pittsburgh, the Steelers have made a habit of this dating back to the days of Ben Roethlisberger. So steal one of those stopwatch-holding note-scribblers in black and gold, put them in some red, white and blue and hand them receiver tape. It’s time to hit on a wideout for once.

Christian Gonzalez: a Pro Bowl bid

Related Articles

Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett to reward Patriots O-line with Christmas gifts

Patriots’ Hunter Henry pays ex-teammate ultimate compliment

Newest Patriots running back is like family to DeMario Douglas

Patriots film review: Why there’s hope for Drake Maye and Jerod Mayo down the stretch

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo provides injury update on key pass catcher

Look at his social media. The young No. 1 corner wants this badly.

And so do the Patriots, whose Twitter/X account has become a fan account for Gonzalez and almost Gonzalez alone.

His talent and tape certainly make him deserving. But Gonzalez’s traditional stats (only two interceptions) make this less likely than you think without a little Christmas help.

The organization: another win

As they say, winning cures all. Right now, another win would match last year’s win total for the Patriots.

Mind you, that doesn’t mark progress by traditional measurements, but the goal wasn’t strictly to win this season. It was to identify and develop foundational pieces for future teams and win. Last year, it was win at all costs.

The Pats have the Chargers this Saturday, and the Bills next Sunday. They will be underdogs in both games, but that didn’t stop them from toppling the Bengals, Jets and Bears earlier this year.

Time to get back to work.