Since Wednesday afternoon, Jerod Mayo, the new head coach of the New England Patriots, not public announced whether rookie Drake Maye or veteran Jacoby Brissett would be his starting quarterback in Week 1.
Much was made before and after New England, Maye chose the third overall pick of this Annual Draft about how the club had to change its footwork to prepare it to face strong defenses in important games. According to Patriots and NFL insiders Albert Breer by Sports Illustrated, this aspect of Mayes His game still needs work, although he impressed in some pre-season appearances.
“Maye was drafted by the Patriots without having had much or any footwork training in North Carolina that could be transferred to the NFL game,” Breer wrote on Wednesday. “It was not the worst Thing, Because It is easier to learn from no habits than from bad habits. There are no question that the greatest threat to its progress, and There are much has been, is that when He is Under duress, he falls back into his old habits. That is why, if I am New England, I not Maye start behind the attack line until I am sure that he has the 10,000 repetitions he needs for what He is learned to become permanent.”
Breezer is not the only person who believes Maye could benefit from spending time as Brissett’s primary backup this fall. In the latest issue of NESNs “Boston has joined the chat“ Podcast, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald said directly that the “smart move” would be if Mayo Brissett started the season opener at the Cincinnati Bengals on September 8, because the Patriots “so much uncertainty regarding the offensive line.”
Also on Wednesday, Karen Guregian of MassLive noted that the Patriots “not assemble an offensive line suitable for a promising rookie quarterback” above their first off-season as part of the ongoing rebuilding of their squad.
Whether teams immediately start or sit Rookie quarterbacks selected with high draft picks are widely discussed every summer among analysts and former players. While some Punish liesI It is The best way to let a first-year professional learn about life in the NFL “the hard way,” other voice Issue about franchises ruining young playmakers by forcing them to play for teams that lack talent before They are ready for such tasks.
Away Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sports Betting had the Patriots at +160 odds to win over 5.5 games in 2024. Experts show such predictions not There is a lot to be expected from New England’s current roster, regardless of which quarterback takes the most starting snaps from Week 1 to Week 18.
“There is there is no need to rush,” Breer continued: “However, the Patriots will have to pay attention to the rest of the team in this game, as some players certainly believe that Maye offers them the best chance of winning right now.“
This point is crucial, as veteran Patriots defender Davon Godchaux left no doubt that Last week that he and others in the locker room know that some outsiders think the team is “Refueling” the coming season with a view to 2025 and 2026.
In short, Patriots players may tolerate Brissett being in the starting lineup until the Week 3 game at the New York Jets on Thursday, September 19. If New England remains winless after that game, Mayo may need to use the extra time to prepare Maye for the game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 29 to avoid an early mutiny in the locker room.
