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After spending the first five weeks of the 2024 NFL season riding the bench, throwing just eight passes in one lone relief opportunity, Drake Maye is set to make his debut for the New England Patriots in Week 6 against the Houston Texans.
Is Maye ready for the opportunity? Debatable, as he'll still be playing in front of a bad offensive line with questionable offensive weapons, but that doesn't mean the pride of North Carolina hasn't been putting in work to get where he wants to be ahead of this debut. Talking to reporters during his weekly media session, Maye revealed everything he's learned from Jacoby Brissett over the past few months and how he plans to translate that to his own on-field play.
“Yeah, down the sideline, you get more of a view of the defensive structure, trying to see techniques up front from the defensive line, trying to see safeties, and trying to see back-end stuff,” Maye told reporters. “At the same time, you get the back view of what the quarterback's thinking. I try to do that, or try to stand behind Jacoby. I think that was my mindset, trying to get a feel of playing back there behind him, what it would be like, and you don't get a great view as you do in practice standing right behind him. I'm just trying to replicate that and play the game while I'm on the sideline.”
While Brissett didn't have a ton of success for the Patriots in 2024, he did provide some veteran leadership under center for a team making the most consequential coaching changes of the last 20 years. If his insight can help Maye to see the field better ahead of his NFL starting debut, it should play a massive role in the Patriots' long-term future.
Jerod Mayo has seen improvements in Drake Maye at practice
So what has head coach Jerod Mayo seen from Maye that he likes enough to give him the nod in Week 6? Well, in his own media session, Mayo noted that he's really seen an improvement in how his young QB sees the offense over the past few weeks and now feels comfortable in his play.
“I would say Drake's a smart guy, and we saw that throughout the draft process. As far as understanding the offense, the language, and just his overall football IQ, I think that continues to improve,” Mayo told reporters. “I was actually pleasantly surprised. Even when he got here, it was never a question, ‘Was he smart?' But I was pleasantly surprised, just his work ethic, out of this world, and studying the playbook and trying to get those reps. He continues to get better each and every day. Physically, look, this guy definitely gives us a chance to kind of get some of those off-schedule plays that you guys always see on TV.”
Will Maye fare better than Brissett in Week 6? Debateable. Are the Patriots making a mistake playing him with a bottom-10 supporting cast? Debateable. But hey, if Mayo believes in his young QB, why shouldn't fans? If nothing else, they will get a glimpse at the team's future, even if the Pats are still a few years away from contention.
