Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
Rodney Harrison doesn’t want Patriots to feed Drake Maye ‘to the wolves’
"It’s a completely different game coming from North Carolina to being in the National Football League.”
The Patriots might view Drake Maye as their quarterback of the future.
But New England also has the personnel in place to not rush the No. 3 pick into NFL action if he’s not ready in September once the regular season commences.
With the Patriots signing veteran Jacoby Brissett to a one-year contract earlier this offseason, New England has the means to roll with a bridge starter in case Maye needs more seasoning during his rookie year.
It’s a forward-thinking strategy that former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison believes is a necessity for this team — especially given how directly tied Maye’s success is to New England’s hopes of being a contender once again.
Advertisement:
“Absolutely,” Harrison said on MassLive’s “Eye On Foxborough” podcast about whether he’s start Brissett over Maye in 2024. “You don’t want to throw [Maye] out (there). And I don’t have the defenses in front of me, but I know like the first six weeks of the season, he’s going to be playing against a lot of really good defenses. And if it’s me, I’m putting Jacoby Brissett out there.
“I might have Drake learn as much as he possibly can. And then in a relief role if he needs to come in, if a guy gets hurt or something like that , he’ll be ready. But I wouldn’t throw him right out there to the wolves like that. It’s a completely different game coming from North Carolina to being in the National Football League.”
Advertisement:
Even though a slow and steady approach with Maye could pay dividends in Foxborough, Brissett offered up some high praise toward the 21-year-old QB’s progression since the start of offseason programs..
“Every day he’s gotten better,” Brissett told reporters on Monday after New England’s first minicamp practice. “The good thing about it is, it’s not like, ‘Oh, I got it right now, and I’m not thinking about it.’ He’s just constantly trying to find ways to get better, making some nice throws out there and you’re seeing his progression come alive.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com