Are we about to see a 2021 redux in New England?
Three summers ago, rookie quarterback Mac Jones surprisingly beat out Cam Newton for the Patriots' starting quarterback job, leading the team to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth. Two straight losing seasons followed, however, leading New England to trade Jones, select quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and sign Jacoby Brissett with the apparent intention of letting the veteran start while the rookie develops.
But according to head coach Jerod Mayo, the Week 1 QB job in 2024 is still very much up for grabs.
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"100 percent," Mayo told WEEI's The Greg Hill Show on Monday when asked if Maye could play his way into starting in the Patriots' regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"We’re still in training camp, we still have our preseason game against Washington, and once again, we don’t have a starting quarterback right now. When it’s time, we’ll announce that, but he could absolutely be QB1. So could Jacoby. We’ve just got to see how it plays out."
According to our Patriots Insiders Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran, Brissett has been the clear starter throughout training camp, taking reps with the starting offense while Maye works with the "twos." But we may have witnessed an inflection point in Thursday's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, when Maye entered in the second quarter and looked comfortable while working with New England's starters.
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After his solid performance against Philly -- 6 for 11 for 47 yards with a rushing touchdown -- Maye took reps with the Patriots' starting offensive line for the first time in a practice setting during Saturday's session. Brissett, meanwhile, has lacked consistency over the past week, and Maye appears to be taking advantage.
Mayo's boss, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, comes from a Green Bay Packers organization with a history of not playing rookie quarterbacks out of the gate, and given the struggles of New England's offensive line throughout camp, there's a risk in handing Maye the keys too early if he faces too much pressure.
"Whether you’re in your first year or your 10th year as a quarterback, if you’re not comfortable in the pocket, it’s a huge detriment, not only to the quarterback but to the team," Mayo added. "And so, when you talk about building confidence with your teammates, that’s what training camp is all about."
From Mayo's perspective, however, the team is intent on letting the best quarterback win the job, and if Maye can string together a solid week of practice then hold his own against the Washington Commanders in next Sunday's preseason finale, the Patriots may have a decision to make.
"I would say with all positions, it’s just consistency," Mayo said when asked what Maye needs to do to win the starting job. "You don’t want to ride the up-and-down waves, and that’s what he’s been proving here as of late. We’ll see if this trajectory continues to go that way."