Jerod Mayo's rhetoric about the Patriots quarterback room remained the same throughout the summer, but his comments this week gave hope to New England fans who want Drake Maye to start Week 1.
Maye flashed his talent in New England's second preseason matchup while Jacoby Brissett struggled in front of an inept offensive line. Maye also received more first-string reps in the final weeks of the month, which caused speculation that the rookie gained favor with the coaching staff.
Indeed, Mayo praised Maye for the mental work he's done and told reporters Wednesday the 21-year-old would be ready to run the offense if asked to. However, Mayo clarified while there still is a competition, Jacoby Brissett remains the first-choice QB. The head coach added he hoped to come to a decision next Monday or Tuesday.
What's going on? Does Maye have a legit shot to start, or is Mayo simply paying lip service?
These should be legitimate questions fans should be asking even if they're ruining the party of seeing Maye in regular-season action. After all, Mayo is a disciple of Bill Belichick, so it shouldn't be surprising he's not tipping his hand. However, unlike Belichick, Mayo's relationship with the media has been solid. That also means he might be able to get away with playing these kinds of open-ended games.
Let's look at Maye's trajectory throughout the offseason. The 2024 third-overall pick had not worked out with the first unit, except when preseason games started. When he did, it was a brief session. That doesn't really sound like a QB competition does it? It seems like the coaching staff is content with Brissett starting Week 1, which wouldn't be a bad idea. Patriots Hall of Famer Tom Brady bemoaned the idea of rookie quarterbacks starting Week 1, and it wouldn't be surprising if he told his former teammate that during his stop in Foxboro, Mass.
It is weird how New England is handling Maye's workload. But Dan Orlovsky, who said pre-draft that Maye had to sit a season, was impressed by the little things he wanted to see the signal-caller work on. It's a slow plan for Maye, but the results on the field show they're working. But a competition? Mayo and the coaching staff will have to start Maye with the first unit in the team's preseason finale to truly convince fans that they're considering the first-round pick as the Week 1 starter.
Do you believe Mayo's QB competition rhetoric? Sound off in the comments.
