Are we facing a repeat of 2021 in New England?
Three summers ago, rookie quarterback Mac Jones surprisingly beat out Cam Newton to be the Patriots’ starting quarterback, leading the team to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth. But two consecutive losing seasons followed, prompting New England to trade Jones, select quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and sign Jacoby Brissett – apparently with the intention of letting the veteran start while the rookie developed.
But according to head coach Jerod Mayo, the quarterback job is still up for grabs in the first week of 2024.
“100 percent,” Mayo told WEEI The Greg Hill Show on Monday when asked if Maye could earn a spot in the starting lineup for the Patriots’ regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“We’re still in training camp, we still have our preseason game against Washington and again, we don’t have a starting quarterback right now. When the time comes, we’ll announce it, but he could very well be QB1. Jacoby could be, too. We’ll just have to wait and see how it goes.”
According to our Patriots insiders Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran, Brissett was the clear starter throughout training camp, playing with the starting offensive line while Maye worked with the twos. But we may have seen a turning point in Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, when Maye came on as a substitute in the second quarter and looked confident working with New England’s starters.
After his solid performance against Philly — 6 of 11 passing for 47 yards with a rushing touchdown — Maye participated in a practice with the Patriots’ starting lineup for the first time on Saturday. Brissett, on the other hand, has lacked consistency over the past week, and Maye appears to be taking advantage of that.
Mayo’s boss, Eliot Wolf, the Patriots’ executive vice president of player personnel, comes from the Green Bay Packers, which has a history of not using rookie quarterbacks from the start. Given New England’s offensive line’s struggles throughout training camp, there is a risk in handing Maye the keys too early if he comes under too much pressure.
“Whether you are in your first year or your 10th year,th “As a quarterback, if you go a year without being good in the pocket, that’s a huge detriment, not just to the quarterback, but to the team,” Mayo added. “And when it comes to building teammate confidence, that’s what training camp is all about.”
From Mayo’s perspective, however, the team is determined to give the job to the best quarterback, and if Maye can put together a solid week of practice and then perform in the final game of the season next Sunday against the Washington Commanders, the Patriots may have a decision to make.
“I would say in all positions it’s just about consistency,” Mayo said when asked what Maye needs to do to secure the starting spot. “You don’t want to ride the waves and he’s proven that here recently. We’ll see if that trend continues.”
