One of many largest storylines hovering over the New England Patriots this spring includes the truth that outsiders count on second-year quarterback Drake Maye will make a giant leap whereas studying underneath first-year New England head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels following McDaniels’ return to the group.
Whereas talking with reporters on Tuesday, Patriots huge receiver Kendrick Bourne provided considerably of a warning to the remainder of the NFL relating to what Maye is in the present day in comparison with what the 22-year-old was as a rookie final spring.
“The boldness is there, possibly much more confidence,” Bourne stated about Maye, as shared by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “Clearly, he’s gonna be in a brand new system. So I feel he’s in that course of. He’s studying. However the confidence is there. Drake is a competitor. Once we do sure issues, like, his aggressive spirit is beginning to present extra, in my view, which I really like. Popping out of that shell, he’s gonna turn out to be a vet. So I feel that’s what he’s embracing. He understands. He’s acquainted with what to anticipate, what to really feel, and that simply creates a greater, assured quarterback going into 12 months 2.”
The Patriots clearly entered this offseason with the aim in thoughts of constructing round Maye after he impressed all through his debut professional marketing campaign. New England signed huge receiver Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $69M contract, and the membership later spent worthwhile draft picks on “high-character gamers” akin to offensive sort out Will Campbell, operating again TreVeyon Henderson and huge receiver Kyle Williams.
Following the 2025 draft, Patriots govt vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf famous that he anticipated Maye to develop as a pacesetter throughout his first NFL offseason as a full-time QB1. Bourne indicated Maye’s aggressive nature is all a part of that course of.
“It creates us to be higher,” Bourne added about how Maye’s character is impacting the locker room throughout springtime exercises. “We need to beat one another in a race, or no matter it’s, conditioning and issues like that. If you do issues and he simply competes, and also you like to see that from the quarterback.”
Maye went simply 3-9 as a starter final season whereas enjoying underneath one-and-done head coach Jerod Mayo. The franchise continues to be within the early phases of its second reset in two years, nevertheless it seems like Maye has already finished effectively to reply to Wolf’s problem because it pertains to behind-the-scenes work.
