Maye still could win Patriots’ Week 1 starting QB job
The Patriots will allow rookie Drake Maye to make one final push for the starting quarterback job before Week 1.
Whether that comes with first-team reps in practice this week is to be determined, however, according to head coach Jerod Mayo.
“I do,” Mayo said Friday morning when asked if he still sees a competition between Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett for the Week 1 starting job. “We have three more days of training camp practices, and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate, and the competition isn’t over. They’re still going to go out there, and they have to show not only themselves and their coaches, but also their teammates. So it’s definitely still a competition.”
Maye, who was 6 of 11 for 47 yards with a rushing touchdown, outplayed Brissett during Thursday night’s preseason loss to the Eagles. Brissett started and was just 3 of 7 for 17 yards with an interception Mayo called “a poor play, terrible play” that the veteran QB forced with other receivers open. Maye, meanwhile, should have had another long completion on a perfect throw to Javon Baker that the rookie wide receiver dropped while hitting the ground.
It hasn’t looked like much of a legitimate competition through the first three weeks of training camp. Brissett has taken all first-team reps in practice, and he’s started both preseason games. Mayo said the staff will decide Friday if Maye has earned starting reps in practice over the final stretch of training camp.
“We’ll see. We’ll have a staff meeting later on today, and that decision will be made,” Mayo said. “I do think he definitely showed improvement yesterday as a whole, and we’ll see what happens going forward.” Mayo said Maye’s lack of
Maye continues on B3