Jerod Mayo has stressed throughout training camp and the preseason that there is an open competition at the quarterback position and that whichever of Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye plays better will earn the right to start in the New England Patriots’ season opener.
In that context, Mayo’s comments after Sunday’s season finale against the Washington Commanders suggest that we have a winner in the quarterback race.
“I would say Drake has surpassed Jacoby at this point,” Mayo told WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday morning.
Does this mean Maye will face the Bengals on Sept. 8? Not so fast, Mayo says.
“Everyone wants to know who the starter is going to be. There are several factors that have to go into that decision,” Mayo told reporters later Monday morning in a video conference. “One is the overall body of work, whether we’re talking about the spring or the entire training camp.”
“And I would also say that we often forget the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, and that will also play a role in the decision we have to make in the near future.”
Translation: There is indeed a QB competition, but the playing field is not quite level.
While Maye has outperformed Brissett this summer — the rookie delivered a strong performance Sunday night that culminated in an 11-play, 88-yard run that ended with his first touchdown pass of the preseason — Brissett has a wealth of NFL experience that the Patriots clearly value. The 31-year-old is in his ninth season and spent a year working with Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator in Cleveland, so he’s (theoretically) better equipped to run Van Pelt’s offense in New England. (For that reason, Van Pelt seems to prefer Brissett as his starting QB.)
One could argue that Maye’s raw ability should trump Brissett’s experience. But Mayo’s comments on Monday suggest that there’s more to the QB competition than what we see on the field, and that Brissett could still get the job even if Maye has played better.
Mayo, however, has still not named a starter and said the decision may not be made public until after 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players.
“I’m happy with the way the guys are fighting. Hopefully we can name a starter in the next few days and get the season rolling,” Mayo said.
