A successful 2024 NFL season for the New England Patriots would include rookie quarterback Drake Maye making meaningful strides in his development.
The Patriots have already invested a lot -- most notably the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- to bring in Maye and help him become a franchise player.
The real unknown is when will he really take charge of the offense and become the starter.
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Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett is currently the No. 1 with training camp practices at Gillette Stadium scheduled to begin Wednesday, but is there a scenario in which Maye could start when Week 1 of the regular season arrives Sept. 8?
"If Drake -- and this goes for any position -- if he comes out here and lights it up, and once again it goes back to the quality of reps, it could absolutely happen," Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Tuesday at his Gillette Stadium press conference.
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Internal competition often brings out the best in players, and there will be plenty at the quarterback position during Pats training camp. Brissett, Maye, Bailey Zappe and rookie Joe Milton are all on the depth chart.
"Coming out of the spring, Jacoby looks like the starting quarterback," Mayo said. "That being said, he'll have competition. Let's not forget about Joe Milton. Let's not forget about Zappe. All those guys will have opportunities to go out there and be the starting quarterback in Week 1.
"... It's competition. It's not about everyone else. It's about, does this guy go out there and perform better than Jacoby?"
The Patriots cannot afford to rush Maye's development and risk derailing it. He's too important to the franchise's short- and long-term success. The goal for 2024 isn't to win the Super Bowl. It's about creating a foundation for sustained success, and a huge part in building that is obviously getting it right at quarterback.
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If Maye is awesome in camp and shows a good command of the offense in preseason games, then it makes sense to give him the opportunity to start Week 1. But it's a decision that should be made carefully. There's nothing wrong with Maye being the backup for a good portion of the season and learning by watching a veteran like Brissett run the offense.
Maye has incredible talent and enormous potential. Putting him in the best positions to succeed needs to be the No. 1 priority for the Patriots this season.