The New England Patriots appear ready to keep their most important player on the sideline for another preseason game.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported Saturday morning that Drake Maye and most of the Patriots’ starters are unlikely to play against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium.
Reiss pointed to the extensive work New England’s starters received during two joint practices with Philadelphia this week.
That would leave Maye without a preseason snap through the Patriots’ first two exhibition games after he also sat out a 13-13 tie against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 13.
🏟️🦅 7p: Preseason vs. Eagles
NOTES: Drake Maye, most starters unlikely to play after extensive work in 2 joint practices…Andy Borregales/FG operation among areas of note after Week 1…More clarity with backup LB roles?…Quick turn to Thursday finale @ Browns
The approach makes sense considering where Maye and the Patriots stand entering 2026. New England knows who its quarterback is, and Maye already spent two demanding practices working against one of the NFL’s more talented defenses.
The Eagles and Patriots kick off at 7 p.m. ET tonight.
Maye Got Good Work In Against Eagles
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 19: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots warms up during a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on August 19, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Maye’s absence would come after a commendable two-day stretch against Philadelphia.
Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar wrote after the joint practices that Maye was “mostly sharp” across the two sessions and particularly impressive on the opening day.
He connected on downfield throws and continued developing his chemistry with A.J. Brown, who faced his former team for the first time since landing in New England.
Maye acknowledged afterward that the Patriots received the type of test they wanted.
“We had a lot of great work,” Maye said, via Patriots.com.
There were still areas for the offense to clean up.
Philadelphia responded during the second practice, and New England encountered more resistance in the red zone. Maye said the offense needed to string together plays with greater consistency following a bumpy finish to the two-day session.
Maye is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He finished second in NFL MVP voting and helped New England reach Super Bowl LX.
Keeping him away from unnecessary preseason contact holds an obvious benefit.
Patriots Can Switch Attention to Backup Roles
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 13: Tommy DeVito #16 of the New England Patriots looks to pass the ball in the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Maye sitting would also give the Patriots another long look at Tommy DeVito and rookie Behren Morton.
Both quarterbacks played in the opener against Indianapolis. DeVito threw a touchdown pass while Morton completed 7 of 13 attempts for 66 yards in his first NFL preseason appearance.
There’s greater uncertainty elsewhere on the depth chart, which gives Saturday’s game more gravity for the bottom half of the roster.
Patriots.com identified offensive line depth, roster-bubble competitions and the young pass rushers among the primary areas to watch against Philadelphia.
That evaluation could be especially useful with roster cuts approaching and one preseason game remaining against the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 27.
Vrabel took a almost identical approach before the Colts game. He said after that joint practice that he didn’t anticipate Maye playing in the opener, allowing the starters’ competitive work during the week to stand on its own.
The same method appears set for Saturday.
In the end, the Patriots already received the reps they wanted for Maye, but for everyone still trying to secure a role behind him, the Eagles game will serve as the stage to put on a show.
Patriots’ Drake Maye Unlikely to Play vs. Eagles After Joint Practices