Getty
Drake Maye reacted after the New England Patriots announced their starting QB for Week 1.
H
Although he will have to wait to become the starting quarterback, Drake Maye “doesn’t regret” the New England Patriots selecting Jacoby Brissett as their Week 1 starter.
Maye did not get the nod despite being the third player selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. He told reporters, including ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “There are two ways of looking at it. Of course I want to play, I have the competitive spirit in me. At the same time, I understand the situation. Jacoby was on offense all camp, playing with the 1s… I feel like I gave it my all. I don’t regret coming back.”
The rookie reacted after Brissett was officially named QB1 on Thursday, August 29, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Brissett had long been expected to start against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, September 8, but Maye outperformed the veteran late in the preseason.
Although he currently holds the top spot, Brisstt admitted, according to NBC Sports Boston, “The competition is still there and we will help each other.”
Both quarterbacks represent their team’s line and promote unity, but that will not lessen the intensity of the debate over this important decision.
Patriots not willing to risk Drake Maye
The Patriots drafted Maye as their first franchise quarterback since Tom Brady, but they aren’t ready to risk a bright future. Managing the risk means not exposing Maye too much behind a questionable offensive line.
The weak pass defense is one of the main reasons the Patriots don’t seem well-equipped to support a first-year playmaker. Other problems include the modest supporting cast with an untested group of wide receivers.
The lack of talent around Maye is why Rapoport’s colleague Kyle Brandt believes the Patriots have already let the rookie down: “Drake Maye won the job. The rest of the Pats roster lost it because of him.”
Brandt’s claim that Maye earned the starting right based on his own performance will be shared by many, especially after Brissett struggled in the offseason.
Patriots end confusion about Jacoby Brissett
Head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt had been making conflicting statements about Brissett’s status. The confusion has now been cleared up, but there remains general doubt about how long Brissett can hold the reins.
The 31-year-old completed just five of 11 passes for just 36 yards in the preseason, and threw a costly red zone interception in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles before taking that tough sack two games later against the Washington Commanders, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out.
Those numbers make a strong argument against the Patriots being better off with Brissett starting right away. The other reason is that the Patriots have nothing to lose after going 4-13 last season, so why not let Maye learn on the job?
Mayo’s reasoning for choosing Brissett suggests, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that the Patriots want to be safe for the long term: “The challenge is that these days you want to win every single game, but at the same time we’re trying to build something special here.”
Maybe the Patriots will be rewarded for their deferred wages, but every bad play from Brissett and every early loss will only increase calls for Maye to come off the bench sooner than planned.
James Dudko covers the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL and world football since 2011 and has worked for FanSided, Prime Time Sports Talk and Bleacher Report before joining Heavy in 2021. More about James Dudko
