Drake

Maye

Rapoport noted that the team wants to put Maye in a position to succeed and that includes making sure the offensive line can protect him. NFL history is littered with organizations who thought they could start their bridge quarterback for an extended period of time, only to immediately pull the rip cord and give their rookie a shot. Given Jacoby Brissett’s complete lack of mobility behind a line that will struggle to keep the pocket clean, the Patriots look like the next team traveling down that road. Maye’s cannon of an arm and ability to pick up yards on the ground could make him an instant QB2 once he takes over.

Drake Maye was making a late preseason push to win the job after a solid performance in his final outing against the Commanders. Head coach Jerod Mayo went so far as to say that Maye has played better than Brissett in camp/the preseason but also noted that the full body of work both quarterbacks put in all offseason would be factored in. Both Brissett and Maye face the unenviable task of playing behind a dreadful offensive line and throwing to subpar playmakers. Maye will get his chance in due time, but it will be Brissett’s show to open the season. He projects as a low-end QB2 and shouldn’t be counted on outside of 2QB/superflex leagues.

“A decision has been made, just not communicated,” Mayo said. It will either by Drake Maye or Jacoby Brissett under center against the Bengals in the opener, and while Brissett seemed like the favorite coming into the preseason, it now appears that Maye — the third-overall selection this April — has a good chance of being under center for that contest. Even if Brissett does get the nod, he’s just keeping the seat warm for Maye, and the rookie QB will all but assuredly get the majority of snaps for New England this year.

It would be easy to conclude from this quote that Maye is the frontrunner in the competition to be the Patriots’ Week 1 starter, but Mayo then added, “Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp. And we’ll see where we end up.” Later in the day, Mayo conceded that Maye has been better in-game than Brissett but once again reiterated that it “is the total body of work” throughout the offseason that will determine who the starter is. Maye undoubtedly gives the Patriots more upside, but whether or not the team wants to risk starting him for a full season in what is a rebuilding year is an entirely other thing to consider. It doesn’t sound like a decision will be reached on the starter today, but Maye has undeniably closed the gap in a competition that felt largely decided entering camp.

Brissett exited Sunday’s game with an injury to his throwing shoulder after one drive. It paved the way for Drake Maye to turn in a solid half of football, but it doesn’t sound like this injury will factor into who gets the nod for Week 1. The Patriots have a decision to make at starting quarterback, and Maye further complicated that with his strong showing. He threw for 126 yards and a score but could’ve had another touchdown if not for a penalty that called back a 48-yard touchdown to K.J. Osborn. With the season less than two weeks away, and roster cutdowns coming on Tuesday, there’s a good chance we know the winner of this camp battle before the end of the week.

Maye also rushed three times for 17 yards on the night. The rookie took over on the second series in this one and immediately led the Patriots on a scoring drive. Maye overcame a fumbled snap on the first play to lead a 12-play, 87-yard drive, which he capped with an 18-yard touchdown pass to running back Kevin Harris. If not for eight offensive penalties in the first half, Maye’s night could have been much better. He rolled to his left late in the second quarter to complete a would-be 48-yard touchdown to K.J. Osborn but saw the play called back due to an illegal formation. Jacoby Brissett injured his shoulder on his first and only drive of the game, which could have an impact on who gets named the Week 1 starter. Assuming both are healthy, it’s fair to say Maye showed more than enough to be worthy of the nod, but the Patriots may opt to play it safe with the rookie and let him spend a little more time developing before throwing him into the fire.

Brissett was sacked on his first and only drive of the night and landed hard on his throwing shoulder. He was only expected to play a drive or two, so it’s possible the Patriots sat him out of caution following the injury. We’ll likely know more on this injury after the game, but if this injury is anything notable, it could shoehorn Drake Maye into the QB1 job to start the season.

Drake Maye will also play as the Patriots continue to evaluate their quarterbacks ahead of their Week 1 contest against the Bengals. At the start of camp, the widely held belief was that Brissett would open the season as the team’s QB1, with Maye taking over later in the year. Now, a few solid preseason outings and encouraging camp performances have Maye in the thick of the battle, with the season just weeks away. The Patriots’ offense remains short on talent regardless of who wins the starting job. The playmakers won’t provide enough to elevate Brissett’s play, and they’ll only amplify the typical struggles that come with being a rookie quarterback. The winner of this camp battle could come down to whether or not the coaches are ready to throw Maye into the fire and grind out what’s sure to be a challenging season.

What was once Brissett’s job is now an open competition between the veteran and the rookie, Maye, who impressed in the Pats’ second preseason game. Brissett has struggled mightily in two preseason outings; another flop this week against Washington would all but solidify Maye as New England’s Week 1 starter. Maye, far more mobile than Brissett, would bring a downfield passing element to the team’s offense.

Mayo also added that if Drake Maye is “better than Jacoby [Brissett]...he’ll start.” Maye looked calm and collected in his second preseason game, completing 6-of-11 passes for 47 yards while also running four times for 15 yards and a score. Mayo praised Maye for the strides he’s made in recent weeks but said he wants to see Maye operate at a faster level. At this point, we’d still expect Brissett to have the inside edge on the starting job ahead of Week 1, but he could be on a very short leash if Maye continues to show improvement over the next few weeks.