Did Jerod Mayo tip his hand on the winner of Patriots’ QB competition?
"(Maye) is our second-best quarterback on our roster right now.”
If one was to glance at the preseason numbers, the choice would seemingly be clear as to which Patriots QB should start Week 1 against the Bengals.
Even though veteran Jacoby Brissett entered camp as the odds-on favorite as a dependable stopgap who was already familiar in Alex Van Pelt’s system, the numbers haven’t been all that encouraging during preseason action.
Even though Brissett’s snaps have been limited — while a shoulder injury suffered on Sunday further hindered any additional reps — the 31-year-old QB has only completed five of his 14 pass attempts through three games for 36 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception.
New England’s rookie QB Drake Maye boasts the highest ceiling among signal-callers on the roster, but the writing has been on the wall for months that the Patriots are opting for a cautious approach with their most valuable asset.
But even with Brissett in place as a bridge starter for the time being, Maye narrowed the gap between him and his teammate during preseason action.
After New England’s loss to the Commanders on Sunday, Maye finished out his three-game stretch this preseason completing 21 of 34 passes for 192 yards, two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), and 32 rushing yards.
Maye’s strong play last week against the Eagles prompted Jerod Mayo to declare that the QB competition for Week 1 reps was far from over — with Sunday’s game against Washington standing as the final test for both Maye and Brissett.
Mayo added that a final decision on the winner of New England’s QB competition was likely coming on either Monday or Tuesday of this week once the film from Sunday’s 20-10 loss was combed over.
But just minutes after the Patriots walked off the gridiron at Commanders Field, Mayo did reveal the current state of New England’s depth chart.
Following the loss, Mayo was asked if Maye would be the one to replace Brissett in a game if the veteran was not healthy enough to play.
“I would like to sit here and say 100%,” Mayo said. “(Maye) is our second-best quarterback on our roster right now.”
The question revolved around Brissett’s health moving forward, as he was deemed “questionable” to return in Sunday’s game after suffering a shoulder injury on his first (and only) drive of the night.
Mayo did opt to alleviate some of the concerns surrounding Brissett’s health, noting that the veteran felt “good” and could have continued to play had it not been a preseason game.
However, Maye has made a pretty convincing case for himself to earn NFL reps out of the gate — regardless of Brissett’s health.
“I think I would feel ready,” Maye said when asked about potentially getting the nod in Week 1. “I think I’m ready for whatever this football team asks of me. Ready to get out there and try to help us beat the Bengals Week 1.”
Ultimately, the decision to stick with Brissett over Maye might have more to do with the supporting cast around both quarterbacks — especially after Sunday’s debacle in the trenches.
Given Maye’s high ceiling, New England’s porous O-line, and the reality facing a team starting at a multi-year rebuild, the right move out of the gate in 2024 could be covering Maye in bubble wrap and giving the ball to Brissett — at least to open the year.
Giving Maye ample time to develop on the sidelines — and most importantly shield him from weeks of punishment — could be a prudent move by the Patriots.
But even before Sunday’s preseason finale, Van Pelt signaled that Brissett still had the edge over the rookie due to his experience in the NFL ranks.
“I’m sure there’s a chance (Maye could become the starter), but I think as you go in, there’s still a process of how you bring a rookie quarterback along,” Van Pelt noted on Thursday. “So I think that’s important to remember as well.
“There’s certain things in this offense that Jacoby, having played in this offense, understands some of the tools you can use to get you out of certain situations, pressure situations, things like that, that Drake is still learning.
“He has really been impressive the last two weeks in practice and in the game, and he’s moving in the right direction, for sure. But again, a rookie quarterback coming in and playing — obviously Jacoby has tons of experience, not just in the NFL but in this system, and we’ve won games with him in Cleveland, so I feel comfortable with his understanding (of the offense).”
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