Drake Maye is the Patriots future at quarterback. His time to show what he can do at the NFL level is coming, maybe sooner rather than later.
When the Patriots made their plans for the offseason, they decided to use the No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback, barring an unprecedented trade offer from a QB-needy team. Recently, HBO's offseason Hard Knocks with the New York Giants showed personnel chief Eliot Wolf tell Giants general manager Joe Schoen, "If we had a quarterback, we'd be calling in a trade right now," as Schoen tried negotiating a trade for the third overall pick.
Although the Patriots turned down trade offers due to their confidence in Maye as a prospect, they also made a short-term move by signing veteran free agent Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal in March.
The idea was for Brissett to be a bridge to Maye, a 21-year-old rookie who only made 26 collegiate starts. Rather than forcing Maye into action before he was ready, the Pats wanted to have a stable veteran who could buy the young quarterback time. It's a sensible plan as long as Brissett holds up his end of the bargain by being a functional starter and welcoming mentor, which isn't always the case.
Some veterans will ice out the rookie quarterback trying to take his job, while others don't have what it takes to keep the team competitive while the future starter develops. Based on 10 training camp practices to date, Brissett deserves credit for doing his part in the organization's rebuild.
The Patriots first-team offense looks like an NFL operation in practice. Following a strong showing in practice last week, head coach Jerod Mayo challenged his defense, which is expected to be top-10 caliber, to match the offense. Brissett ended the week by orchestrating a four-play touchdown drive, launching a deep ball to WR K.J. Osborn, setting up a walk-off touchdown by tight end Hunter Henry.
Brissett's confidence, timing, and aggressiveness in a familiar offensive system have been notable. There were more clean offensive plays in the last handful of practices than the previous two summers combined in Foxboro, while Brissett's arm talent is also a welcomed upgrade.
Before you pull an Allen Iverson because we are talking about practice, let's not forget that Brissett was very serviceable for offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt's Browns in the 2022 season. Although his record didn't reflect it, Brissett ranked eighth in total QBR (62.0), and the Browns averaged 23.9 points per game (11th in the NFL) in his 11 starts.
Cleveland went 2-4 in one-score games with Brissett as the starter, with notable close losses to the Jets (31-30) and Chargers (30-28). The Browns were 30th (26.0 PPG) in scoring defense during Brissett's time as the starter, and their defensive coordinator was fired at the end of the year.
Brissett might not inspire confidence with an 18-30 career record as a starter. To be clear, nobody is arguing that the Patriots are now Super Bowl contenders. But he's an upgrade at the position and should allow the Pats brass to evaluate the pieces around the quarterback. Furthermore, Brissett's leadership and mentorship are palpable on the practice field.
Brissett is Maye and sixth-round rookie Joe Milton's biggest fan. The veteran routinely celebrates their success, allows them to pick his brain about the game, and has helped other teammates, from center David Andrews to second-year receiver DeMario Douglas, learn the offense.
At some point, Maye will be the Patriots starter. The coaches know it, Maye knows it, and so does Brissett. If the rookie unseats the 31-year-old by summer's end, great. It won't be by default. Instead, it'll be earned against a worthy adversary.
The worst thing for Maye's development would be to throw him into the fire before he's ready. If the Pats didn't have Brissett or a comparable option, they might be forced to play Maye prematurely. Brissett is giving the Patriots exactly what they had hoped he would when they signed him in March: a veteran who can get the program moving in the right direction so Maye can hopefully jump into a more promising situation than most expected.
Many top-three picks play right away in bad situations where losing has become habitual. Maye's raw talent is obvious, but he still needs a better grasp of the nuances of the position. Thanks to Brissett, New England doesn't need to rush Maye's development.
Let's empty the Patriots Unfiltered mailbag heading into the preseason opener on Thursday night:
Q: Do you agree with the local media consensus that Drake Maye has been inconsistent so far in padded practices? Any upward trend? - Professor Peter
After praising the stable veteran in the room, I understand that I'm giving sunshine.com, but I truly believe it: I've liked how the Patriots are coaching Maye.
Yes, it's fair to categorize Maye's practice performance as inconsistent. He's working through some things while also repping with a backup offensive line that hasn't done him any favors. There are two types of quarterbacks: layup quarterbacks such as Jared Goff and Josh Allen-style playmakers, with Maye falling into the playmaker archetype.
The coaches know Maye would look flashier in practice by surviving off his instincts and physical tools, but they're trying to round out his game. With an adjustment to pro-style reads and the need to improve his footwork/mechanics, the coaches are challenging Maye to operate within the system. In other words, read it out and hit the layups presented to him by the defense. They've blitzed him to speed him up and played two-high safety shells to force the ball underneath, giving Maye no choice but to take profits rather than hunting big plays.
New England's staff knows Maye can throw the deep ball and create out of structure. Those are the superpowers that made him the third overall pick. However, to be the guy, Maye must learn the nuances of playing quarterback at this level. Eventually, his playing style will take over in games. For now, practice is about working on your weaknesses, and that's what he's doing.
Maye has improved with a quicker release in recent practices and is throwing the ball well overall. Obviously, when you're working to improve on weaknesses, the results will be up and down. He's doing just fine out there and is getting more comfortable.
Eventually, we'll get to see him with the first-team offense against the starters on defense. That's when we'll get a true measuring stick of where he's at in his development.
Q: What is a realistic trade offer to the 49ers for WR Brandon Aiyuk? What do you think the 49ers will be asking for in a trade? - Everyone
I'm absolutely flummoxed by the news that the 49ers, according to multiple reports, are listening to trade offers for Aiyuk now. The Niners are one of the best football operations in the NFL, and trading their best receiver in August, when his value is lower, and there aren't means to fill the void, is surprising. The 49ers are a shrewd organization, and this is not a smart football move for a win-now team.
That said, my guess is the 49ers are seeking a similar package to the one the Titans got for AJ Brown from the Eagles, which was the 18th and 101st overall picks for Brown. The Patriots could find creative ways to get to similar compensation like trading a second and a third-rounder plus a veteran player (Judon, Bourne). But it'll probably be hard for the Niners to sell a deal without getting a first-round pick back in return for a star receiver in his prime.
This situation could still resolve itself, as Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa's contract negotiations did. After a lengthy holdout, Bosa signed his record-breaking extension on Sept. 6, 2023. The 49ers are very familiar with taking things down to the wire, and this is no different with Aiyuk. But it's hard to ignore the noise now that he could be traded.
Q: How concerned should we be about Christian Gonzalez's start to camp? - Everyone
My concern level with Gonzalez is about 4.5 out of 10. I'm not saying his ups and downs in practice mean nothing, but I'm also not too worried. The main reason is that regular-season game reps against A.J. Brown, Garrett Wilson, and Tyreek Hill easily trump practice reps. Plus, I put zero stock into WR/CB one-on-ones, and I feel they're the most over-analyzed aspect of training camp, so I'm only going off how he has looked in 11-on-11s.
The other thing worth noting is that his coaches at Oregon warned me about this with Gonzo during the draft. His effort was a question mark for many teams, but the Ducks staff insisted that he's just so smooth out there that it looks like he's not trying. Coach Mayo seemed to send a message to Gonzalez when I asked him about the Patriots cornerback depth last week: "With Gonzo, he has to go out here each and every day and push it. I always tell these guys that success is rented and not owned, and that rent is due every day. That applies to Gonzo as well."
The coaches are searching for the right buttons to push with Gonzalez to get him to lock in during practice. I have faith in Mayo, Covington, CBs coach Mike Pellegrino, and Gonzalez's talent that it'll all come together when the regular season rolls around.
Q: Given what you've seen in camp, is there hope that the offensive line will be better than expected? - Matt C
I was encouraged by the early returns for the offensive line in the first few padded practices. The first two days in pads saw some success for the run game, while Jacoby Brissett was afforded clean pockets to push the ball downfield. There were real signs of improvement, especially in pass protection, where they looked more connected as a five-man unit to handle various pass-rush schemes by the Pats defense.
However, the short-yardage practice was a step back for this group, and injuries/rookie growing pains are catching up to them at offensive tackle. Chuks Okorafor hasn't practiced lately, while third-rounder Caedan Wallace's participation with the top unit was short-lived. That has left Vederain Lowe (LT) and Calvin Anderson (RT) to work with the top group. If the Patriots get Okorafor back at right tackle and can fast-track Wallace, then it starts to look better on paper.
The good news is that their interior trio of Sow (LG), Andrews (C), and Onwenu (RG) has the chance to be solid. In fact, that interior could come together as a strength of this offense. Ultimately, we're in the same place we were heading into camp with the O-Line: their fate will be decided by if AVP and line coach Scott Peters can find a combination that works at tackle.
There are still signs that the offensive line will be better than last year, but the Patriots need to hope that at least one of Okorafor or Wallace gives them starting-caliber tackle play. You can usually work around one weak link, but it's harder to overcome two weak spots at tackle.
Q: Will the Patriots throw Polk and Baker into the fire early this year, or will they lean on the veterans? - SoxNation
During the Belichick years, there's no doubt that the Patriots would lean on experience at the beginning of the year at wide receiver. You'd see plenty of K.J. Osborn, Pop Douglas, and Bourne/Thornton/Reagor, with a sprinkle of Baker and Polk in situational roles. However, it's tough to say what Mayo will do as a first-year head coach.
My instincts tell me that Polk could be an early fixture in the offense because he's the steadier of the two rookies, and coaches typically lean toward reliability over flash. Baker then would be used as a situational receiver in certain packages or matchups. By season's end, the hope is that we'll see plenty of Baker, Douglas, and Polk as the top three. But I'm expecting Bourne (when healthy), Osborn, and one of the speed guys to play a lot as well.
Q: Hi Evan, would you say the defense looks different considering the changes in the coaching staff or still very much the same as previous years? - Clazzy Clare
In the early going, I'd say very much the same as previous years. The Patriots aren't overhauling their defensive system, and why would they? The Belichick system has worked well for these coaches and players, ranking ninth in DVOA last season, so they're not reinventing the wheel here. They'll still be an odd front base defense that primarily two gaps and plays post-safety coverages with quite a bit of disguising. I've asked some of the players, and they've confirmed that the systems in place remain the same as in the Belichick years.
The question for first-year play-caller DeMarcus Covington is how his situational tendencies will differ from Steve Belichick. Just because you're picking from the same menu doesn't mean you'll order the same dish. Plus, I'm sure Covington and Mayo will have wrinkles they've added during the offseason, which would be customary even if Belichick was still the coach.
New England's new leadership on defense will put their own spin on things, but for those hoping for a revamped defensive philosophy, I don't think we're getting that right now.
Q: After viewing the early parts of training camp, what position on both sides of the ball do you think the Patriots are the weakest at? Can an available veteran help? - Jeff S
The obvious answer on offense is offensive tackle. There's a good chance the Patriots OT situation will make or break their season. Unfortunately, starting-caliber tackles aren't typically available at this point in the NFL calendar. They could make the call to David Bakhtiari, but my guess is that he'd be on a roster if he were healthy, and that team would likely be a contender. I can't see why a 32-year-old who has played 13 games over the last three seasons would sign up to join a rebuilding Patriots squad.
On defense, it's defensive tackle or cornerback depth. Christian Barmore's (blood clots) extended absence put a huge dent in their plans on the defensive interior, while I've been a little let down by their depth corners behind Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones. Can they find two more functional corners out of Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, Shaun Wade, Isaiah Bolden, and Marco Wilson? I would've said yes before camp, but now I'm not so sure.
The Patriots seem content on letting the summer play out before making any significant moves, but you wonder if they'll put in a call to Stephon Gilmore if the first preseason game is a letdown at corner. He'd be the one available veteran who could help this team right away.
Q: Having seen high-level and low-level football teams go through their training camps, where do you think this team sits right now? - Ryhan O
It's tough to say what will translate when the games become real in September, but I'm cautiously optimistic that this team is progressing. The defense should come close to meeting expectations, while they've shown more life offensively than expected.
It's refreshing to have so much raw talent at quarterback between Maye and Milton; even Brissett has more arm talent than their recent starters. Plus, the rookie receivers are showing well, and the offensive line has looked better than expected. If they're upgrading at quarterback and the rookie wideouts can play, it'll be a more competitive unit this season.
Expectations in terms of wins and losses should remain low. This season is about laying a strong foundation. As much as you'd like to have bigger aspirations, this is a year where their record isn't necessarily as important as player development.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
