The New England Patriots selected Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL draft to be a franchise quarterback, but the rebuilding team is already failing the rookie.
That’s according to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine: “The more concerning problem with their rebuilding approach is that they drafted Drake Maye without the surrounding talent for him to succeed.”
Specifically, Ballentine thinks the Patriots have failed to recruit the necessary upgrades “at two of the most important positions for a signal-caller.” Ballentine noted how “New England could be starting Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle. He couldn’t hold on to the right tackle job with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and only signed a one-year, $4 million contract in free agency.”
There are problems further afield, where Ballentine believes “The receiving corps might be the worst in the league. Javon Baker and Ja’Lynn Polk are promising rookies from a loaded class, but Kendrick Bourne and DeMario Douglas are the most accomplished weapons.”
Ballentine has raised some points that will be making many Patriots fans cautious about how Maye will fare during his debut season in the pros. Yet, the idea the franchise is already failing to rebuild the right way is premature.
Drake Maye Vulnerable Because of Doubt at Key Spot
The Patriots are taking a chance relying on inexperience at left tackle. It’s arguably the second-most important position in the modern NFL, but the Pats still lack a proven commodity to protect Maye’s blindside.
Early indications are Chukwuma Okorafor will have every chance to make the job his own after arriving in free agency. Some consider the 26-year-old a possible steal, but Okorafor is undergoing a position switch after a trying final season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There aren’t any convincing options beyond Okorafor. Not this year’s third-round pick Caedan Wallace, nor former practice squaddie Vederian Lowe.
Maye could find himself besieged by pressure off the edge once he eventually takes the reins. If so, he won’t thank first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and de factor general manager Eliot Wolf for not spending some of New England’s ample cap space to secure a bluechip tackle.
Similar inactivity in pursuit of an elite receiver could also leave Maye aggrieved. There are many unknown quantities among Maye’s targets, but there’s also potential for new stars to emerge and transform a pedestrian passing game.
Patriots Have Potential at Wide Receiver
Things aren’t as bleak for the Patriots at wideout as they might appear. Yes, Mayo and Wolf were surprisingly low-key about adding to the position, settling for K.J. Osborn in free agency, before drafting Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round and taking Javon Baker in the fourth.
This trio joined an incumbent contingent capable of being better than advertised. That optimism stems from Kendrick Bourne playing at a high level before before suffering a torn ACL in Week 8.
Bourne was proving a playmaker as both a vertical threat and somebody who’s dynamic after the catch. A play like this catch and run to score against the Miami Dolphins sums up the positive impact a fully healthy Bourne could have for Maye’s development.
.@Patriots take the lead on the Kendrick Bourne touchdown!
📺: #NEvsMIA on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus t.co/Quwvdzpx7G
The same is true of DeMario Douglas, a late-round success as a sixth-round pick who broke a long-standing record last season. Douglas knows how to win from the slot and get open underneath, both invaluable assets for a first-year QB.
A Douglas and Bourne double act can help Maye make the grade, but the duo will need support. It could come from Polk, who has already been tabbed for a key role in new coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s offense.
This potentially dynamic trio aren’t the only playmakers at Maye’s disposal. Signing Antonio Gibson in free agency and extending the contract of homegrown workhorse Rhamondre Stevenson created what should be a prolific, dual-threat backfield.
Ballentine might not be convinced, but The 33rd Team thinks Maye is set up to produce early.
The latter is the key word. It’s too early to judge how well the Patriots have equipped Maye for success, while it’s equally true a star quarterback will elevate the performances of those around him. Patriots fans witnessed Tom Brady do exactly that for 20 years.
Ultimately, Maye’s arm talent and knack for making plays off script will determine how quickly the Patriots return to relevance.
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Patriots Accused of Already Failing Drake Maye