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What Devin McCourty said about Drake Maye’s reps, Patriots’ poor showing during joint practices
"I think they’re still trying to figure things out.”
The 2024 Patriots season might be an arduous one for fans.
Even with the excitement drummed up this spring with the drafting of Drake Maye, New England’s flawed roster is still hampered by vacancies across the depth chart, especially on the offensive line.
Adding in the absence of a proven No. 1 receiver, the potential loss of Christian Barmore for the season due to blood clots, and the growing pains that await both Maye and first-head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots are likely staring at a multi-year rebuild.
It hasn’t taken very long for sentiment surrounding this current team to sour, especially after New England’s offensive line was routinely splintered during Tuesday’s joint practice against the Eagles, giving Maye, Jacoby Brissett, and the rest of the Patriots’ QBs little time to operate on offense.
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While New England’s continued woes on offense might be disheartening to some fans, former Patriots safety Devin McCourty stressed that New England’s current rebuilding effort was always going to require some patience.
“[Jerod Mayo]’s coaching in the New England area, so everyone’s definitely going to have an opinion, but, I think to actually judge it, it’s going to take time,” McCourty said during an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” Wednesday morning. “I think they’re still trying to figure things out.”
New England’s inability to protect its quarterback led to disaster in 2023, with both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe unraveling over several critical stretches throughout a 4-13 campaign.
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The early returns have been even more discouraging so far this preseason when it comes to pass protection — causing concern for what punishment might await Brissett, Maye, and New England’s other QBs this fall.
“I think they’re still trying to get through certain things, [Mayo]’s making decisions, he’s figuring out his own path,” McCourty said. “But, I said this back when he first took over, it’s going to take time for this team. This team has struggled the last few years, obviously last year being the worst year of it all. But the last few years hasn’t been, I would say, the prototypical New England Patriots teams that you’ve seen through years past.”
As far as Maye’s limited usage during New England’s preseason opener against the Panthers last week, McCourty stressed that Maye’s current spot on the depth chart also shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
“I think Mayo has said it, right now they don’t see Drake Maye as the starter. So they’re trying to develop a team that’s going to have Jacoby at the helm, but also trying to develop the number one pick,” McCourty said, adding: “I think we’ve seen throughout the NFL when you put the young quarterbacks in there right away, and it just, it doesn’t go well, and then it gets worse and worse as the season goes on.
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“Sometimes those guys never recover. You look at Sam Darnold, who’s getting a second chance now, but he got on the field early with the Jets, the team wasn’t good around him, the offensive line, weapons, and then it didn’t work out, and he was seen as a bust.”
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