Will the Patriots sit Drake Maye with the No. 1 pick on the line? Jerod Mayo said it is ‘in consideration’
Sunday's game could decide who gets the No. 1 pick. Maye took a hit to the head last week. Is playing him worth it?
With one game left in the season, the Patriots control their own draft order destiny. A loss against the Bills on Sunday would clinch the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Plus, quarterback Drake Maye took a hit to the head in Saturday’s 40-7 loss to the Chargers that briefly knocked him out of the game. He told reporters after the game that he felt good despite getting his bell rung. Coach Jerod Mayo said Monday that he is not in concussion protocol.
With that said, there is a chance that the Patriots would still want to be extra careful with their promising rookie quarterback.
Mayo said the idea of sitting Maye for Sunday’s game against Buffalo is not off of the table.
“I would say right now, everything is in consideration, and we’ll see how the week goes,” said Mayo.
Maye’s health, and the Patriots’ draft performance are two of the biggest factors that will determine the success of the franchise over the next few years. Sitting Maye on Sunday would not only ensure that he does not sustain an injury in a meaningless game, but it would also give the Patriots a better chance at losing the game.
Still, sitting a starting quarterback who is healthy enough to play can be viewed by some as a lame move, and tanking is generally frowned upon.
“My expectation is if the guys are healthy, then they’re expected to be ready to go out there and play,” Mayo said. “Again, we’ll have to see how the week goes. I understand the question. The guys are working hard and we need to play football.”
The Patriots have Jacoby Brissett, who began the year as the starter, available if they decide not to play Maye. Brissett threw a pair of pass attempts, completing one, while Maye was out on Saturday.
They could also turn to fellow rookie, and emergency third quarterback Joe Milton III. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound quarterback has a cannon for an arm, and this could be an opportunity to get him some game experience in a low-stakes scenario. Mayo said he hasn’t ruled out playing Milton.
“It’s absolutely a possibility,” Mayo said. “But like I said earlier, all things are still under consideration.”
New England is nearing the end of a long, rough season. Mayo was asked to reflect on his biggest accomplishments as a first-year head coach.
“I’ll just say, just being able to weather the storm,” Mayo said. “It seems like we’ve been in the storm for a long time. I think the players as a whole, I would say they’ve come into work every day during a difficult season. “
“I think that’s been a huge piece of the puzzle,” he added. “Hopefully we can keep that going forward. We had eight one-score games this year. We just got to, honestly, we have to win those games. That’s what the NFL is. That’s going to be the goal going forward.”
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