Shortly after the New England Patriots made North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye the third choose of the 2024 NFL Draft, New England head coach Jerod Mayo indicated he’ll give Maye an opportunity to win the beginning job over veteran Jacoby Brissett this summer time.
“To return to [former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick], I don’t suppose many rookies are prepared to simply leap in and play,” Mayo defined, in accordance with Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “On the finish of the day, our philosophy is the perfect gamers will play. Coming in as a rookie, hopefully, he’s a sponge. There are a whole lot of good gamers in that locker room, and look, Jacoby, he understands. He’s a mentor. He’s good, has nice management abilities, and hopefully Drake can be taught one thing from him, as effectively. However I’d say we’re going to compete throughout coaching camp. The very best participant will begin.”
Most Patriots insiders assumed the membership signed Brissett early in free company to have him function each a mentor and a bridge possibility on the place. Add in {that a} plethora of analysts stated on a number of events this spring that Maye may have to take a seat for “a 12 months” to handle weaknesses in his recreation resembling his footwork and decision-making abilities, and New England letting the first-year professional develop as a spectator makes every kind of sense.
Maye himself admitted to Chris Rosvoglou of The Spun earlier than the draft that he should work on avoiding “dangerous throws that you could possibly get away with in faculty” earlier than he is able to face reside professional defenses in significant video games.
“He understands the issues he has to get higher at,” Mayo stated about Maye. “And with teaching and onerous work and the coaches now we have, the help system from possession, I believe he has the possibility to go on the market and play at a excessive stage. You discuss potential all you need to, however till you attain it, it doesn’t matter. We do know the person. We all know the person is a tough employee, and he’s going to do every little thing he can to achieve success.”
Mark Daniels of MassLive famous in a chunk revealed Friday morning how the Patriots “ruined” 2021 first-round draft choose Mac Jones through a number of miscues.
Letting Maye be taught as a backup earlier than the membership provides wanted weapons to its offense subsequent offseason might finally be the easiest way to make sure New England’s newest rookie signal-caller is not shipped out of city roughly three years down the highway.
