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New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo noted that rookie Drake Maye has caught up to veteran Jacoby Brissett, but the decision on the starting quarterback involves additional factors.
“This is a true competition, and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby,” Mayo said on sports radio WEEI's “The Greg Hill Show.”
“Now, in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp. And we'll see where we end up. But those are the conversations that will happen here over the next couple of days,” the Patriots head coach continued.
Jacoby Brissett injuring his shoulder
Brissett began the game against Washington's backups but injured his right shoulder on New England's first drive. Commanders defensive end K.J. Henry broke through the New England line and sacked Brissett, slamming him into the ground.
Jacoby Brissett winced from the hit but continued to play, completing the drive with two more passes before a Patriots punt. When New England’s offense next took the field, Maye was the quarterback.
In Sunday night's preseason finale in Washington, Drake Maye, the No. 3 draft pick, seemed to outshine Jacoby Brissett, who suffered a throwing shoulder injury during the game.
The Patriots had intended for Brissett to play just a series or two, Mayo mentioned before the game, and since he didn’t miss any plays, the seriousness of the injury is still uncertain.
Cameras captured Brissett holding his shoulder on the sideline, but it wasn’t clear how much his injury influenced the decision.
In the second quarter, the Patriots revealed that Brissett had injured his right shoulder. He was marked as questionable to return and remained in pads on the sideline, but it was clear his night was over.
Mayo didn't give a specific diagnosis but expressed confidence that Brissett hadn't suffered a major injury. He also noted that if it had been a regular-season game, Brissett would have been able to keep playing.
Drake Maye showing his stellar play
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Maye's most impressive moment of the preseason came on his first drive. Facing third-and-14 inside New England's 10-yard line after a sack, Maye spotted an opening at the line of scrimmage and broke free for a 17-yard scramble, evading a Commanders defense focused on preventing a deep pass.
Two plays later, Maye showcased his arm strength. On second-and-2 from the New England 33-yard line, he connected with rookie Ja'Lynn Polk on a play-action pass that sailed past Commanders cornerback Noah Igbinoghene. The completion covered 29 yards and secured a first down.
Maye completed the first half for New England. While the Patriots didn’t score again, Maye showcased his potential with a deep touchdown that was wiped out by a penalty during the two-minute drill.
The Patriots rookie completed the first half for New England. While the Patriots didn’t score again, Maye showcased his potential with a deep touchdown that was wiped out by a penalty during the two-minute drill.
Brissett may still be starting over Maye for the Patriots
Even though Maye made more impressive plays and showed greater potential, Brissett might still be the starter if he's healthy when the Patriots kick off the season in Cincinnati in two weeks for two key reasons.
I'm told even with the rising optimism surrounding #Patriots rookie first-round QB Drake Maye, there are some sentiments within the building that it still may be best to have veteran QB Jacoby Brissett start the season given his experience, at this time, per source. No official… pic.twitter.com/5Mto9ynuUL
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 26, 2024
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt emphasized on Friday that he views Brissett as the starter and the quarterback with a stronger grasp of the offense. When questioned about why Maye wasn't getting more starting reps, Van Pelt said, “Jacoby.” He added that the Patriots plan to gradually integrate Maye and aren’t looking to alter that approach.
The other reason Maye might start on the bench isn’t his fault. On Sunday, the offensive line's poor performance highlighted how challenging the job will be for any Patriots quarterback. During Maye’s first 13 plays, he faced two bad snaps, a false start by a lineman, and a guard who was pushed back so quickly that he stepped on Maye, causing the quarterback’s shoe to come off.
Last week, Mayo mentioned that the Patriots are expected to decide on their starting quarterback by Monday night or Tuesday morning. He might announce the decision during his Wednesday afternoon news conference.
