The New England Patriots will begin a new era of football after moving on from Bill Belichick and drafting quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye is from North Carolina and has an incredible amount of raw talent.
However, the former college quarterback is not the only addition to the room for 2024. The Patriots signed former Washington Commanders quarterback Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal to serve as a possible bridge starter to Maye.
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Despite the thought process that Brissett will start Week 1 and Maye will sit, that is not an overwhelming sentiment within New England.
When will Drake Maye start for the Patriots?
According to the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, some people in the Patriots organization believe Maye could win the starting quarterback job over Brissett throughout the offseason and preseason. Many believed Maye seemed likely to sit behind Brissett.
New England head coach Jerod Mayo wouldn’t commit to Brissett or Maye as the starting quarterback in the moments following the NFL Draft. However, Maye needs a lot of development in terms of footwork, accuracy, and other mechanics before stepping on the field.
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That is one reason the Patriots hired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who specializes in footwork and working with quarterbacks. Brissett could start while Van Pelt, quarterback coach T.C. McCartney, and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo work with Maye.
The Patriots must protect its potential franchise quarterback by not rushing his development. In 2021, it was unclear if newly drafted quarterback Mac Jones would start over Cam Newton, but his performance in training camp made him the starter.
Jones had a phenomenal rookie season, but it all went downhill when Belichick brought in Matt Patricia and Joe Judge to replace Josh McDaniels. Then, the former Alabama quarterback had Bill O’Brien as his third offensive coordinator in three years.
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New England eventually traded Jones to the Jaguars and wasted its first-round pick in 2021. Therefore, the Patriots just went through the process of restarting at quarterback. It’s essential to ensure Maye is in the right situation, whether it relates to coaching or the supporting cast around him.
Maye has all of the physical tools and raw talent to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL. It’s unclear whether that journey as a starter will begin in Week 1 of his rookie year, the middle of the season, or Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
While some members of the Patriots believe he could win the job, the evaluation should be much more than Maye v. Brissett. If the offensive cast isn’t up to par and the line is struggling to block, it makes little sense to potentially ruin its quarterback’s future.
Maye will eventually get his chance as the Patriots’ starting quarterback, but when that occurs will be the biggest story throughout the offseason.