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He’s going to have to wait to become the starting quarterback, but Drake Maye has “no regrets” about the New England Patriots choosing Jacoby Brissett to start Week 1.
Maye didn’t get the nod, despite being the third player selected in the 2024 NFL draft.
“There’s two ways to look at it. Obviously I want to play, the competitive edge in me,” Maye said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “At the same time, I understand the situation. Jacoby has been in the offense and got reps with the 1s all camp … I feel like I left it all out there. No regrets coming back.”
The rookie was responding after Brissett was officially named QB1 on Thursday, August 29, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Brissett had long been expected to be at the controls for the trip to Paycor Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 8, but Maye was outplaying the veteran toward the end of preseason.
Although he has the premium position for now, Brissett acknowledged that “the competition is still there, and the helping of each other won’t stop,” per NBC Sports Boston.
Both quarterbacks are toeing a team line and promoting unity, but that won’t cool the intensity of the debate about this vital decision.
Patriots Not Ready to Risk Drake Maye
The Patriots drafted Maye to be their first franchise quarterback since Tom Brady, but they’re not ready to risk a bright future just yet. Managing the risk means not leaving Maye overly exposed behind a suspect offensive line.
Feeble pass protection is chief among the many reasons the Patriots look ill-equipped to support a first-year signal-caller. Other issues include a modest supporting cast featuring an unproven group of wide receivers.
The lack of talent around Maye is why Rapoport’s colleague Kyle Brandt believes the Patriots have already failed the rookie, “Drake Maye won the job. The rest of the Pats roster lost it for him.”
Brandt’s assertion Maye won the right to start based on the merits of his own performances will be shared by many. Particularly after Brissett during the preseason.
Patriots End Jacoby Brissett Confusion
Head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt had been guilty of some mixed messages about Brissett’s status. Confusion has now been cleared up, but broader doubts will persist about how long Brissett can keep hold of the reins.
The 31-year-old completed just 5 of 11 passes for a mere 36 yards during the preseason. He also threw a costly interception in the red zone against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, before taking a rough sack against the Washington Commanders two games later, highlighted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Those numbers contribute to a strong argument against the Patriots being better off with Brissett starting right away. The other reason concerns the Pats having nothing to lose after being 4-13 last season, so why not let Maye learn on the job?
Mayo’s justification for choosing Brissett instead, suggests the Patriots are protecting the long term, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer: “The challenge is, you want to win every single game now, but also we’re trying to build something special here.”
Perhaps the Patriots will be rewarded for their deferred gratification, but every bad play from Brissett and early defeat will only increase demands for Maye to leave the bench earlier than planned.
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