Drake Maye is unlikely to be the starter for the New England Patriots in Week 1.
Nevertheless, the rookie quarterback managed to turn things around with consistent performances in the last week of training camp.
His development is at the heart of New England’s future and revolves around the initiatives of the coaching staff.
“I think we expected that,” Patriots quarterbacks coach TC McCartney told reporters on Thursday, according to a video provided by the team. “He’s a young guy. His first training camp appearance in the NFL. We expected him to get better and better. As you get better, your confidence grows. I think we expected that. He’s right on track.”
The story continues below the ad
The focus of Maye’s development continues to be on footwork as the Patriots invest time to improve his fundamentals.
“The most important thing for Drake, like any quarterback, is to connect his feet with his eyes,” McCartney explained. “If your feet and your eyes are right, you have a really good chance. He’s super talented. If we can get those two things right, the ball will go where it’s supposed to go.”
With more playing time, Maye flashed his potential against the Philadelphia Eagles, completing six passes for 48 yards and scoring a rushing touchdown. McCartney’s favorite play was a third-down conversion to Patriots rookie wideout Javon Baker on an in-breaking route.
“Very calm, controlled,” McCartney said. “When he goes off, he can tell me exactly what he sees, which is very important. That was really good.”
The story continues below the ad
Mayes’ development continues to be gradual as the Patriots put together their best plan to maximize his impact in the years to come.
“Drake is really sharp,” McCartney said. “You know that. You’ve talked to him. He picks things up very quickly. It was a lot of fun to watch him.”
