Patriots rookie Drake Maye may have snatched the starting spot Sunday night.
Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, had another impressive performance for New England, throwing for 126 yards and a touchdown in a 20-10 loss to the Commanders after presumptive starter Jacoby Brissett left the game early in the first half with a shoulder injury.
Maye had a 47-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Jalyn Polk called back for holding, but he still completed the pass despite a lineman stepping on his foot and knocking his cleats off.
That performance, along with Maye’s steady improvement throughout the offseason, may have upended New England’s plans to start Brissett early in the season.
“I’m going to say it’s a real competition … and I’d say Drake is ahead of Jacoby at this point,” head coach Jerrod Mayo said. He spoke on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” Monday morning. “That being said, we need to go back through the spring to the beginning of training camp and look at all the work we’ve done and then we’ll see where it ends up. But that’s a discussion we’ll have here over the next few days.”
Maye, 21, has been poised to be named the No. 1 QB this offseason.
He scored a touchdown last week against the Eagles, leading two of the team’s three scoring drives.
Despite that stature, first-year coach Mayo still doesn’t trust the former University of North Carolina star.
“I think initially he was just trying to give in and be a good teammate,” Mayo told 98.5 The Sports Hub. From Pro Football Talk.
“Now he’s competing for the starting quarterback spot. He’s really stepped up his preparation and performance on the field.”
Brissett, in his second stint with the Patriots, had long been expected to be the Week 1 starter but struggled at times during the preseason.
The play ended soon after with a sack by Commanders defensive end KJ Henry, but Mayo said the 31-year-old quarterback “could have stayed in the game.”
“I’ve spoken to him, but I don’t know what will happen. [Monday]”Brissett threw for 36 yards and one interception in the preseason this season, but he said he’s “still feeling good,” but he said he feels good.”
If the Patriots decide to hand the reins to Maye, he believes the rookie “will feel ready.”
“Whatever this football team needs from me, I feel like I’m ready and I’m ready to do everything I can to help us win against the Bengals in Week 1,” Maye said. From NFL.com.
The Bengals will host the Patriots on Sunday, September 8th at 1:00 p.m.
