Jerod Mayo gives latest update on Patriots quarterback situation

Author Matt Dolloff

October 2nd 11:33 AM

Head coach Jerod Mayo updated reporters on the current status of the Patriots quarterback situation, as they get ready for the Dolphins.

If you were hoping this was the week that rookie Drake Maye became the new Patriots quarterback going forward, head coach Jerod Mayo is here to throw fresh cold water on that.

Mayo confirmed to reporters on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium that Jacoby Brissett will remain the Patriots’ starting quarterback for Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins in Foxboro. This comes on the heels of a report over the weekend that Maye is still “a ways away” from playing. Mayo also said that it’s not a concern of Maye getting hurt behind a banged-up and underperforming offensive line, either.

“I’m not really thinking about [injuries],” Mayo said. “Look, Jacoby’s our starter, he’s our starting quarterback this week, and I think Jacoby has showed a lot of toughness out there. Going back, even looking at the film, there are times where an average guy would not be able to get back up, and I think he’s done a good job with that.”

MORE: Patriots offensive line takes most devastating blow yet

The Patriots have been consistent in sticking to what they’ve at times called their “development plan” for Maye, and by the sound of it, part of the plan is to sit Maye for a portion of his rookie season, regardless of what’s happening on the field. Mayo also said that the season-ending injury to starting center David Andrews would have an effect on the team’s decisions at quarterback.

Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Brissett’s subpar performance against the 49ers last Sunday is a major reason why there’s a fresh groundswell of questions about Maye possibly becoming the Patriots quarterback. Brissett finished 19-of-32 for 168 yards, one touchdown, and one interception (70.8 passer rating), and the INT was returned for a touchdown. Brissett also lost a fumble in the fourth quarter. The protection wasn’t great, either, as the Niners teed off on him with six sacks and 10 total QB hits.

Despite the ugliness of the last two games for the 1-3 Patriots, in the big picture, this is where they were generally expected to be at this point in the 2024 season. As a struggling Dolphins team comes to Foxboro with a quarterback that just showed up and played his first game for them last week, this game represents an opportunity for the Patriots to get their season rolling back in a positive direction.

“I don’t think it’s time for a pity party,” Brissett said Wednesday. “I don’t think we have time for a pity party. We kind of understand going forward, this second quarter [of the season] … the first quarter was what the first quarter was. There’s no escaping it. But, you get a chance to make a new second quarter, start new momentum, and start a new junction of the season.

“Everybody is excited about that opportunity, and it starts today on the practice field.”

Opinion time: Now that Brissett’s limitation and tiny margin for error have bubbled to the surface in recent games, it’s understandable for onlookers to want Maye to replace him sooner rather than later. It’s clear that Maye’s superior physical talent and apparent behind-the-scenes progress would give him a better chance to move the ball, make explosive plays, and score enough points to give the Pats a chance to win in the short-term.

But just because the roster that the Patriots built in the off-season is playing poorly and getting injured, doesn’t mean it’s wise to rush a prized rookie quarterback into what would most certainly be a bad situation. It’s likely we see Maye at some point this season, but playing the long game with him is the responsible move for the Patriots at the moment.

MORE: Patriots host tackle, tight end for free-agent workouts

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

Patriots Mailbag: What to do about the offensive line?

• Matt DiGangi on X (formerly Twitter): "At what point can we at least get guys who have actually played LT in the building? Charles Leno or DJ Humphreys. I don't expect them to save the day but provide legitimate depth. There's no reason a PA player should be 1v1 Nick bosa. At least have them in for a workout / X"

  At what point can we at least get guys who have actually played LT in the building? Charles Leno or DJ Humphreys. I don't expect them to save the day but provide legitimate depth. There's no reason a PA player should be 1v1 Nick bosa.

  I’ve mostly been against signing a veteran tackle to this point because players still being available this time of year is generally a red flag, especially at a position like tackle where the talent is so scarce league-wide. But with the Patriots now having to turn to multiple recently-signed players with little to no NFL experience, adding a more steady veteran – even one with a low floor – suddenly looks like a more attractive option. As for the specific player, Charles Leno and D.J. Humphries may not truly be immediately available as they recover from recent procedures (Leno had hip surgery in March, and Humphries tore his ACL in January). As for which players might be ready to go now, I covered that earlier this week here.

• Badger on X (formerly Twitter): "why should the patriots NOT sign a guy like Bakhtiari or Leno or Humphries? the left tackle position is absolutely horrible right now and there's no way those guys are any worse. / X"

  why should the patriots NOT sign a guy like Bakhtiari or Leno or Humphries? the left tackle position is absolutely horrible right now and there's no way those guys are any worse.

  Is there still an argument against signing a veteran? Sure. For a ‘draft and develop’ team, giving those tackle snaps to younger players may be more valuable than an aging player who isn’t a part of the long-term plan. However, if the Patriots want the line to be in the best shape possible to put Drake Maye in, they may have to choose between getting Maye reps versus getting their young linemen reps. If it comes down to that, there should be an obvious choice.

• Leo☘️ on X (formerly Twitter): "Why does everybody think waiting longer will help maye? Do they think joe Thomas is coming through that door week 12? / X"

  Why does everybody think waiting longer will help maye? Do they think joe Thomas is coming through that door week 12?

  It’s not about the personnel changing so much as it is the current players improving. Limited practice time in the summer impacts offenses more than defenses, so there’s more room to grow on the offensive side of the ball. That, plus players hopefully getting healthy over time, could make it a better situation for Maye a few months into the season. How much better? That’s a fair question. But the general philosophy behind waiting is internal growth. That includes Maye’s own growth, as he continues to work behind the scenes.

• Will Malone on X (formerly Twitter): "Given the roster of the offense last season, I doubt any GM would have been able to 'fix' the offense in one off-season. Was there an actual path to both reinvigorate the offense this year without sacrificing the future (ie. Passing on Maye), or was 2024 always doomed? / X"

  Given the roster of the offense last season, I doubt any GM would have been able to 'fix' the offense in one off-season. Was there an actual path to both reinvigorate the offense this year without sacrificing the future (ie. Passing on Maye), or was 2024 always doomed?

  The offense was never going to be great this season but it certainly could have been better. Finding better bridge options at tackle is the immediate second-guess. Better depth at tackle would have helped too – between their active roster and practice squad the Patriots currently have just one healthy tackle who was with them in camp, and that’s Mike Onwenu who is primarily a guard. Upgrades at receiver may have helped as well, but we know the team at least tried in that regard offering big contracts to Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk.

• queque on X (formerly Twitter): "Will Campbell or Kelvin Banks? Does Campbell arm length concern you? / X"

  Will Campbell or Kelvin Banks? Does Campbell arm length concern you?

  While we don’t have an official number on Will Campbell’s arm length yet, Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy did report it at 32 7/8-inches, which would be just under the typical 33-inch threshold for a tackle. That’s a little worrying, but the reality is the draft isn’t tomorrow and the team will have that official number before it’s time to make a selection. For now the best thing to do is simply evaluate his play as-is, and he’s been impressive so far this season.

  At the same time, Kelvin Banks has been impressive as well. I give the Texas tackle a slight edge right now given Campbell has had multiple false starts already this year. Still a lot of football left to be played though, so that’s hardly a definitive take.

• evan Collins on X (formerly Twitter): "Should pats just say screw it and use all their draft picks on o-lineman? / X"

  Should pats just say screw it and use all their draft picks on o-lineman?

  The Patriots are going to need to invest heavily in the offensive line in the upcoming NFL Draft. They’ll need at least one tackle, and should probably look at centers too so they can be prepared if David Andrews retires in a year or two. However they do have other pressing needs they’ll have to address either by selecting players or trading draft picks. Wide receiver and edge rusher stand out on that list, with linebacker, cornerback, and running back also notable needs.

• David Patrick🇺🇲 on X (formerly Twitter): "What was the point of drafting a QB when he has to wait 3 years for the team to be "ready"? It's ridiculous to have the kid rot on the bench and subject the fans to another tanking season / X"

  What was the point of drafting a QB when he has to wait 3 years for the team to be "ready"? It's ridiculous to have the kid rot on the bench and subject the fans to another tanking season

  If Drake Maye sits for three years, that’s a major mistake by the Patriots. He should play at some point this season, and waiting a few months – while frustrating – is not the same as basically burning his entire rookie contract. The point of drafting him is he is an elite quarterback prospect, and those kinds of players aren’t available often. Sometimes it’s just about drafting them when possible, and building from there. He’s also not ‘rotting’ on the bench. There are still opportunities for him to work and improve behind the scenes.

  While none of that may not be what the fans want to see right now, the idea is it’s what will yield the better result in the long-term. If they get to the point where Maye is playing by the end of the year, they’re still on track. If he’s still not playing into next season, then it’s worth revisiting the selection.

• BostonSportsFan73 on X (formerly Twitter): "Who has the longer leash, Wolf, or Van Pelt? / X"

  Who has the longer leash, Wolf, or Van Pelt?

  Tough to say for sure, but I’d go with Eliot Wolf by nature of him holding a ‘higher’ position. Going one-and-done on a general manager-equivalent who was handed a roster that clearly needed a multi-year rebuild isn’t going to solve much. There would be risk in doing the same with Alex Van Pelt too, giving Drake Maye his second offensive coordinator in two years, but that’s not as out of the ordinary.

• After The Huddle on X (formerly Twitter): "Is Daboll gets let go what are the chances we bring him in to work with maye. / X"

  Is Daboll gets let go what are the chances we bring him in to work with maye.

  If he were to become available, Brian Daboll would be a great addition for the Patriots. Drake Maye has some similar prospect traits as Josh Allen, who Daboll had a lot of success working with in Buffalo. However, therein lies the problem. If the Giants do move on from Daboll, it’s hard to see how the Bills don’t do everything in their power to reunite Daboll and Allen, which would likely be a much more attractive option for him giving he has more recent experience with that organization.

• David Jacobs on X (formerly Twitter): "It seems like QBs are scrambling a lot against us with success, is setting the edge a personel problem, a scheme problem or both? / X"

  It seems like QBs are scrambling a lot against us with success, is setting the edge a personel problem, a scheme problem or both?

  This is a good question, and we’re going to need to kind of wait and see to get the answer. Patriots edge defenders losing contain – both on quarterbacks in the passing game as well as outright in the running game – has been a big issue for the Patriots. Joshua Uche has been the biggest example of this, and really struggled against San Francisco.

  Are the Patriots coaching Uche to play this way, or leaving him in the game while he goes off his assignment. Last week the team didn’t have much room to bench him with injuries limiting them on the edge, and Curtis Jacobs didn’t replace him until late in the game. With a full week to gameplan and Anfernee Jennings potentially returning, the Patriots should have more flexibility on the edge this week. It will be telling to see how Uche’s snaps are or aren’t changed after last week’s performance.

• Ed Helinski 🇺🇸🇵🇱 on X (formerly Twitter): "Good or bad, what has surprised you the most about the Pats' first month of the season? / X"

  Good or bad, what has surprised you the most about the Pats' first month of the season?

  The good surprise for me this season so far has been the play of Ja’Lynn Polk. He hasn’t had a ton of chances to show what he can do with the overall issues of the offense, but he’s made the most of the opportunities he’s been given and certainly seems ready for a bigger role once things start clicking on that side of the ball. Going the other way, my biggest surprise has been the performance of Mike Onwenu. He’s always been a better guard than tackle, but the disparity between the two looks bigger now than it  has in the past.

Sign me up for the 98.5 The Sports Hub email newsletter!

Get the latest Boston sports news and analysis, plus exclusive on-demand content and special giveaways from Boston's Home for Sports, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.

Author Matt Dolloff

Category:

• Matt Dolloff
• Columns
• Patriots

Tags:

Drake Maye,jacoby brissett,jerod mayo,New England Patriots,NFL