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ESPN analyst discussed what Drake Maye needs to show more of as Patriots QB
"I just want the aggressive Drake Maye back."
Drake Maye prepares for his second season: The Patriots‘ quarterback questions from 2024 are settled now in 2025, with Drake Maye entering his second season firmly entrenched atop the depth chart.
Maye, 22, showed flashes of immense potential as a rookie a season ago, but was weighed down by the struggles of the team around him in what proved to be a forgettable 4-13 season. Looking ahead, Maye has a new head coach and a reassembled roster, pointing to signs of optimism.
Still, the team’s success will depend largely on the play of its second-year quarterback. In that regard, ESPN NFL analyst (and former QB) Dan Orlovsky shared some thoughts during a Monday segment on “Get Up!”
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“I just want the aggressive Drake Maye back,” Orlovsky said. He showed two different plays from the Patriots’ 20-12 win over the Vikings in the team’s second preseason game on Saturday.
Orlovsky called out Maye for not trying to push the football farther downfield.
“This is the preseason. It’s three verticals. Minnesota changes from one safety deep to two safeties deep,” Orlovsky explained. “If you’ve got a receiver matched up on a linebacker, and both those safeties have decent width, I want you to launch that ball, Drake Maye.”
Granted, the play Orlovsky picked out actually ended with Maye completing a 20-yard sideline toss to New England wide receiver Mack Hollins, though the ESPN analyst wanted more.
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“Now [Maye] got outside the pocket and made a nice play, and the end result is great. But I want the aggressive star, big-time play athlete back that I haven’t seen so far this preseason,” he noted.
Showing another example of Maye avoiding a downfield throw and instead scrambling to the sideline, Orlovsky reiterated his point.
“Get it over the top and rip it. Instead it’s this runaround.”
Of course, it’s still very early, and the former UConn QB cautioned against reading too much into Maye’s early play. His main point: The Patriots under Maye need to look to stretch the field whenever possible.
“It’s preseason, I’m not going to overreact, but I do want to make sure that we’re aggressive in New England.”
Trivia: Drake Maye was the 2022 ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Who is the most recent recipient of that college award who to go on to win NFL MVP?
(Answer at the bottom.)
Hint: He’s won both distinctions twice. In college, he played for Louisville.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox lost to the Marlins 5-3 on Sunday.
Boston begins a two-game set against the Orioles at 7:10 p.m. tonight at Fenway Park.
On Thursday, the Patriots face the Giants on the road in the team’s third (and final) preseason game at 8 p.m.
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- Bill Belichick bringing ‘Patriot Way’ to UNC, from showing old Patriots film to minimizing weekly radio appearances
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On this day: In 1992, Larry Bird announced his retirement from playing basketball. The legendary Celtic called time on his Hall of Fame career in the immediate aftermath of his participation in the “Dream Team” U.S. Olympic win in Barcelona, and after 13 seasons, three MVP awards, and three championships with Boston.
Daily highlight: Jung Hoo Lee made one of the catches of the year for the Giants in a 7-1 win over the Rays.
Trivia answer: Lamar Jackson
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