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J
erod Mayo knows there’s a “legitimate” quarterback competition brewing for the New England Patriots, but that doesn’t mean the head coach is prepared to name his Week 1 starter just yet.
Mayo has to choose between journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett or 2024 NFL draft third-overall pick Drake Maye. Brissett appeared to have a lock on the starting job, but Maye has been making noticeable strides recently.
Buzz is building the rookie can take the reins earlier than expected. As early as New England’s season-opening trip to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, September 8.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, August 19, Mayo continued to keep reporters in the dark about his plans at football’s most important position. The first-year head coach admitted “we still don’t know right now” when asked who will start, per MassLive.com’s Nick O’Malley.
Mayo did reveal when he’s likely to name his QB1: “We have another preseason game and then a week after that. When I know, I’ll let you know.”
While more clarity would be welcome at this stage of the offseason calendar, Mayo insisted, “We always have to be flexible in regards to the plan. Right now it’s all going the right way, right direction and hopefully he continues to get better.”
The “he” in question is Maye, but the Patriots aren’t being swayed by him “coming on like a freight train. He’s making it a legitimate competition,” according to O’Malley’s MassLive colleague Karen Guregian.
Nothing is resolved yet, but the competition could move closer to a conclusion based on how Maye fares against the Washington Commanders in Week 3 of the preseason.
Patriots QB Competition is Real
Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf weren’t counting on a genuine QB competition in their first year replacing longstanding former boss Bill Belichick. The plan was for Brissett to act as an efficient placeholder before Maye, a raw athlete with plenty of upside, stepped in when the time was right.
The latest noises from the team show “There’s been a transition from Jerod Mayo on the #Patriots QB situation over the course of the summer,” according to Mike Kadlick of Patriots on CLNS.
Things are changing because Maye isn’t hanging around. With all the impetuousness of youth, the 21-year-old is already performing like what the Patriots drafted him to be, a franchise quarterback.
Maye was exceptional during New England’s second exhibition game, a 14-13 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, August 15. One of his best plays was this strike to rookie wide receiver Javon Baker, highlighted by The QB List’s Ben Brown.
The first-year passer “carried some momentum into Saturday’s practice, showing consistency in 7-on-7’s, and also hitting Kevin Harris on a downfield wheel route with the throw of the day. Maye also found an open Tyquan Thornton in an 11s period, another strike in one of his best days of camp albeit in a toned-down session,” per Mike Dussault of Patriots.com.
Maye is trending upwards, but Brissett is headed in the opposite direction. The 31-year-old “continued to struggle with his accuracy at times with several overthrows on Sunday,” according to Brian Hines of SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit.
Brissett’s issues are why Mayo is wise to keep his options open ahead of facing Washington at Commanders Field on Sunday, August 25.
Jerod Mayo Needs QB Plan to Work
Mayo’s facing a delicate balancing act. Specifically, not over-exposing Maye to too many inevitable rookie struggles that could dent his confidence permanently. Yet, the head coach can’t let his team suffer with a limited or ineffective signal-caller while a superior athlete warms the bench.
Transforming a pedestrian offense is the Pats’ best way of winning in Mayo’s first year. He knows it, based on his plan for the starters on offense against the Commanders.
Mayo declared “the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to jell, and that’s what we’re going to do,” per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
More playing time is how the Patriots decide between Brissett and Maye. If the latter thrives again it will be harder to keep Maye under wraps once the games that matter begin.
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