Could Drake Maye start for the Patriots in Week 1? Here are the obstacles

Patriots

“We are still in the evaluation process. We still have one warm-up game.”

FOXBOROUGH – Drake Maye could make a late push to become the Patriots’ starting quarterback.

But even though the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft narrows the gap between him and likely starter Jacoby Brissett, New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt stressed that Maye still has some challenges ahead of him when the regular season starts in just over two weeks.

The biggest hurdle between Maye and the top of the rankings? For Van Pelt, it’s still the presence of Brissett.

“Jacoby,” Van Pelt replied when asked what prevented Maye from playing regularly on the first team. “Right now he’s our starting quarterback. The good news is we get to play everyone this week. We’re still in the evaluation process. We have another preseason game. Our guys are going to play, so we have a chance to evaluate them.”

New England will play the Commanders in Maryland on Sunday night, and how Maye and Brissett perform in this final exhibition game could have a big impact on who starts in Week 1, although Brissett remains the team’s top pick for now.

“I would say by Monday night we should know who the quarterback is,” Jerod Mayo said of when New England wants to know who the starting quarterback will be early in the season. “Sunday night games, it’s always a little difficult to go through the film, especially on the road, but I think Monday, Monday-Tuesday, we probably need to know who it is. That doesn’t mean I’m going to tell you on Monday or Tuesday.”

Something has changed in Mayes’ favor in the last week in terms of his suitability as an NFL starter from the start.

Brissett struggled in New England’s second preseason game against the Eagles last week when he was used only in limited ways (3 of 7, 17 yards, one interception), while Maye led the Patriots to two scoring drives in his four series against Philadelphia.

Maye completed six of his 11 throws for 47 yards and also scored a touchdown, showcasing both his arm strength and athleticism in a Patriots offense that lacked playmakers.

“(Maye has) progressed every day, and that’s the most important thing,” Van Pelt said. “There’s no going back. He takes what he’s learned from previous practices and applies it to the next practice. He’s been really impressive, especially the last few weeks.”

Mayo has stressed that there has been an ongoing rivalry between Maye and Brissett since the game against the Eagles. Van Pelt also agreed that there is still a chance for the rookie to overtake Brissett in the future.

However, Van Pelt also reiterated his confidence in Brissett, who has 79 NFL games of experience.

“I’m sure there’s a chance (Maye could be the starter), but I think when you start, you still have to go through a process of how you introduce a rookie quarterback,” Van Pelt said. “I think that’s important to remember, too.”

“There are certain things in that offense, and Jacoby, having played in that offense himself, knows some of the tools that you can use to get out of certain situations, pressure situations and the like, that Drake is still learning.

“He’s been really impressive in practice and in games the last two weeks and he’s definitely moving in the right direction. But again, a rookie quarterback coming in and playing — Jacoby obviously has a ton of experience, not just in the NFL but in this system, and we won games with him in Cleveland, so I’m happy with his understanding (of the offense).”

It should come as no surprise that Van Pelt is still a big fan of Brissett.

Aside from the veteran providing insurance as a potential bridge starter in case New England feels Maye needs more experience, Van Pelt was also Brissett’s offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns in 2022, so he already knows his stuff.

Despite the potential Maye has shown over the past week, Van Pelt stressed that New England shouldn’t necessarily put pressure on the rookie – especially not at such an important position on the field.

“(Quarterback is) the toughest position in sports,” Van Pelt said. “Especially for a rookie who doesn’t see all the defenses he’s going to see in the NFL, it’s tough. The transition is hard and takes a little time. So we’re going to be as patient as we can in that process.”