It’s obvious that the New England Patriots are in a rebuilding phase, but how long that will last depends on who you ask.
Head coach Jerod Mayo is unsurprisingly optimistic about the potential success of his tenure, and Drake Maye has fans excited about what he can bring to the team.
New England drafted Maye as part of a strong rookie quarterback class, so it’s no surprise that Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels finished first and second, respectively, in an ESPN poll of 103 NFL players on who would have the most successful career, just as they did in the 2024 NFL Draft. The other signal-callers who received votes were JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.
That’s right, Maye didn’t get a single vote. Penix and Nix got eight. That’s a small sample, of course. But even a small sample didn’t seem to believe Maye would have a successful NFL career.
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One could draw two conclusions from this poll. Either these players are not fans of Maye’s abilities, or they think very little of the Patriots’ new organization. The latter may be more likely, as Maye’s preseason play has changed the minds of his critics. And players like Brandon Aiyuk, who refused to play for New England despite reportedly being offered a huge contract, showed there is not much interest in the franchise.
Maye could be the one to help change the perception of the franchise, but it seems like everyone in the NFL has low expectations for him and the Patriots.
