NFL insider shares insight into when Drake Maye will actually play for the Patriots

Drake Maye might be ready to play sooner rather than later - but the New England Patriots offense might not be ready for him.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport joined the NFL Network Sunday morning and shared some insight into the biggest long-term question for the Patriots right now: when will they finally put Maye on the field? Rapoport gave a rough timeline of "several weeks, at least" for how long the Patriots would need before they're comfortable putting Maye on the field.

But even if the No. 3 overall pick still needs time to learn about running an NFL offense before he steps in there, Rapoport indicated that the Pats are making sure things are settled in other areas, mainly along the offensive line, before deploying their prized rookie.

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"As far as when [Maye]'s going to play, they want to put him in a position to succeed, and then also, they're not going to put him out there unless he is the guy that gives the team the best chance to win," Rapoport said. "So, from my understanding, that means they're going to make sure that the offensive line is good enough to put him out there, the skill position group, it's all set for Maye to come in right away and have success."

The offensive line, in particular, is a big question mark heading into Week 1, as injuries became a serious issue for the unit over the last few weeks of training camp and the preseason. Left tackle Vederian Lowe missed time with an abdomen injury and is questionable heading into Sunday's season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, while left guard Sidy Sow has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Chukwuma Okorafor is projected to start at left tackle for the Patriots in Cincy, with Lowe and rookie Caedan Wallace likely to be available as emergency backup options. At left guard, it's between Nick Leverett, and Michael Jordan, who was elevated from the practice squad to the main roster for Sunday.

As for the skill positions, only running back Antonio Gibson appeared on the injury report with a hip, but he's expected to play, according to Adam Schefter. Starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett should have a full complement of the Patriots' available weapons, with K.J. Osborn, DeMario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie Ja'Lynn Polk leading the depth chart at wide receiver, and veterans Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper playing big roles at tight end. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson is line for a major role, as well.

MORE: Patriots offensive line still not settled for season opener at Bengals

Based on Rapoport's insight, the Patriots are still figuring out the personnel groupings that work best for them. But it's mostly the offensive line that really needs to settle down for the next several weeks, and ideally get healthy.

"Several" is officially defined as "more than two but not many." So, expect Brissett to start a minimum of three games. It would make sense for him to get the Pats through a huge challenge in Week 4 at the San Francisco 49ers before Maye sees the field. That begs the question: what do the Patriots do if Brissett suffers an injury that forces him to miss time early on?

Sounds like they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. For now, those wanting to see Drake Maye are simply going to have to be patient.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

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