So far, it appears that Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye is far from starter status. But he’s looking pretty good with the opportunities being provided to him.
Maye worked closely with fellow QBs Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe during the Patriots’ OTA practice on Wednesday at the practice fields by Gillette Stadium, at least giving the impression of a competition. Late in practice, Maye worked on one side with his own huddle in team drills, while the more “competitive” session took place on the other field with Brissett and Zappe.
In other words, Maye is still the clear No. 3 option behind Brissett and Zappe, if there’s a pecking order to be gleaned from practice. But that doesn’t mean Maye’s work isn’t valuable, or that he can’t make the most of his opportunities as they are given.
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“My message is, it’s not how many opportunities, it’s what you do with the opportunities that you get,” head coach Jerod Mayo said before practice. “Look, going back to the competition part of it, the better you do on a day-after-day basis, not just on the field but also in the classroom, the more reps you’ll get going forward.”
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 29: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots throws the ball in front of Bailey Zappe #4 during the New England Patriots OTA Offseason Workout on May 29, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Maye worked closely with Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt during his late 11-on-11 session, and previously in 7-on-7. Virtually all of his passing work focused on short-to-intermediate throws, many of which went to the outside, a possible area of improvement as compared to his throws over the middle.
The rookie did throw a dart over the middle through a tight window to wide receiver T.J. Luther. He looked like a pro quarterback on one play when he looked left, shifted back to the right, planted his feet, and delivered a short strike to rookie running back Deshaun Fenwick by the sideline.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 29: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots looks to pass during the New England Patriots OTA Offseason Workout on May 29, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Maye also completed short outside throws to JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie wideout Ja’Lynn Polk during team drills. The Polk throw was on the money. He did have a few late reps in 11-on-11 on the other field, and completed one pass to the outside to rookie tight end Jaheim Bell. However, this throw looked slightly wide, as Bell had to extend a little bit to complete the catch.
Up close, we got to see Maye work on his dropbacks and footwork during early side sessions with all the QBs. Without nitpicking his mechanics too far, because it’s simply not my area of expertise … it can be seen why Maye’s footwork can be cleaned up before he’s ready to play. He looks the part with his size and quickness, but put it this way: if he were to create footprints with his dropback, it wouldn’t be in the straightest of lines.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 29: Jacoby Brissett #14 of the New England Patriots makes a pass during the New England Patriots OTA Offseason Workout on May 29, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Patriots have mixed up the groupings at all the skill positions in team drills, so it’s impossible to project the “starting” offense at this point. But as far as who’s working with possible starters on the offensive line and who’s working closest with Mayo, it’s Brissett, with Zappe behind him.
Brissett complimented Maye on his ability to adapt and improve when facing adversity on the practice field.
“Obviously [Maye] wants to go out there and be perfect, which we know that’s not possible for any of us right now, but he’s going out there and making corrections from his mistakes the day before and constantly adding more things to who he’s going to become as a player,” Brissett said after practice Wednesday. “So, I’m excited for him. I see the work he’s putting in and he’s doing a good job.”
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 29: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots walks to the field during the New England Patriots OTA Offseason Workout on May 29, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Overall, Maye looks solid from an individual standpoint, and that’s not a surprise. The ball comes out of his hand with NFL-caliber zip. He can move around in the pocket to buy time. His outside throws appear to be improving, based on the work we saw Wednesday.
But it’s clear that he still has a long way to go, especially when it comes to his command of the new Patriots offense. Brissett has the clear edge there, due to his experience with Van Pelt in Cleveland. And based on Maye’s close work with the OC and QB coaches, he’s still in more of a developmental phase.
