The New England Patriots have a complicated problem. Per head coach Jerod Mayo, the quarterback they took with the No. 3 pick in the draft “outperformed” Jacoby Brissett in the preseason. However, it could be in the Patriots and Drake Maye’s interest if the rookie out of North Carolina sits this season.
Drake Maye should sit a year
Many scouting analysts thought any team drafting Maye would be wise to let the quarterback sit for one season. Maye started only two seasons at North Carolina, and his footwork was raw coming into the draft.
Coupled with the Patriots’ lack of talent on the offensive line and at receiver, rushing Maye onto the field this season could harm his development and confidence in future seasons. The fear is that the Patriots could waste a No. 3 pick by starting him too early.
Unfortunately, the decision to start or sit Maye isn’t just about Maye or the Patriots’ long-term well-being. Mayo has a team to coach and a front office to impress.
The New England Patriots locker room wants to win now
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated thinks the Patriots should sit Maye until the offensive line improves or Maye gets his footwork down. Breer believes the decision to sit Maye and start Brissett could cause problems in the locker room because the rookie gives the Patriots the best chance to win this season. :
Brissett’s a great guy, and a pretty good player, too. But selling him to a locker room that doesn’t care much about your three-year plan at quarterback (by the way, that’s all locker rooms—veteran players aren’t there to see you develop a guy at the most important position) might not be easy. Especially when Maye, the third pick in the draft, is starting to flash the ability that made him such a high pick in the first place.
Should the Patriots start Jacoby Brissett?
Veterans on the Patriots are being asked to give up their bodies and a year to play for New England this season. They expect the Patriots coaching staff to put them in the best possible position to succeed–and win.
Frankly, rosters turnover every season. Many players on the Patriots know the 2024 season will be their last in New England. If Mayo decides to sit his best quarterback for 2025 and beyond, he could lose players in the locker room.
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