It's been a predictably rough 2024 NFL season for the rebuilding New England Patriots. One bright spot? Rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The third-overall draft pick has resurrected the Patriots offense since replacing veteran QB Jacoby Brissett as the starter in Week 6. He has performed far better than his 2-6 record suggests, completing 67.2 percent of his passes 1,696 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 345 yards and a TD on 38 carries.
So far, it looks like the Patriots nailed their selection of Maye -- a selection our Pats insider Tom E. Curran was skeptical of back in April. Curran believed New England would have been better off trading down from No. 3 overall to garner assets and expedite its rebuild.
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On the latest edition of Quick Slants, Curran admitted defeat.
"Fellow New Englanders, I have a confession to make. My stance in April that the Patriots should trade down, pass on taking a quarterback, add picks, and miss out on the opportunity to draft Drake Maye, it was faulty," Curran said.
"I stand by my logic, however. It's just a good thing that the Patriots didn't follow my advice this year."
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Curran's admission comes after Maye shined in a losing effort vs. the Indianapolis Colts. The 22-year-old was among the most efficient signal-callers in the league for Week 13, topping most of his peers in Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE) and Expected Points Added (EPA) per play.
Maye finished the game 24-of-30 for 238 yards, one TD, and an interception that bounced off the hands of tight end Hunter Henry in the end zone. He also rushed for 59 yards.
"Every week, highly efficient quarterback play," Curran added. "We didn't see it from Mac (Jones). We didn't even see it from Bailey Zappe. Didn't see it from Jacoby Brissett either. ...
"While there was merit in my initial plan and the Patriots still have gaping, yawning chasms all over their roster that could have been more summarily addressed had they had more picks, doing the right thing was taking the guy who was sitting there right in front of him, and it was Drake Maye. All you people who want to say 'I told you so' are lucky. You're lucky. This time, you can. But I got (Tom) Brady right."
Maye looks like the real deal, but the Patriots still have plenty of work to do to maximize the potential of their promising QB. Finding talented pass-catchers and improving the offensive line this upcoming offseason will be crucial for his continued development.
Maye and the Patriots will enjoy their Week 14 bye before preparing for a Dec. 15 showdown with the Arizona Cardinals.