It’s not easy for a rookie quarterback to jump out of the gate and dominate during training camp. Drake Maye of the New England Patriots is finding that out first-hand.
Reports from camp have included a mixed bag when it comes to how the No. 3 pick has performed. Mark Daniels of Mass Live noted on Friday that Maye struggled to open the week. The North Carolina product was throwing behind his receivers, struggled with timing and just looked off his game.
The good news here is that Maye looked better in the two practice sessions following Wednesday’s off day.
“After a players’ day off on Wednesday, however, Maye returned to the practice field and put together two of the best practices of his offseason,” Daniels noted.
It is to be expected. Quarterback is the toughest position to play in the NFL. Going up against professionals within the dynamics of a playbook you are just now learning is always going to create inconsistency.
Maye admitted that his worst practice of the summer was on Monday. He also provided an honest assessment of how he’s performed during camp.
“Just learn from it. Just don’t do the same mistake over and over,” Maye said on Friday, via Mass Live. “Also, you come out here on Monday, the first day in pads, and we do third-and-long. Third and long in the NFL is tough. Our defense does a good job in third-and-long and it’s tough on the offense. At the same time, just watching film back, focus on the little things. That’s what this position is. As a quarterback, you have to do the little things right.”
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New England’s brass knew full well that Maye was going to be somewhat of a project out of the gate. That’s why it signed veteran Jacoby Brissett. He should be the Week 1 starter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
As for Maye’s comments, it is what you like to hear. Sure, he pointed to the Patriots practicing third-and-long during Monday’s struggles. But he also made it clear that he can’t repeat the same mistakes we’ve seen thus far this summer.
New England is in a unique position in that it is not expected to contend for a playoff spot in 2024. The team can rely on Brissett to do his thing this season with Maye learning the ropes. In reality, Brissett might be the best to learn from in that he worked under Patriots legend Tom Brady when he was a young quarterback himself.