The New England Patriots plan to hold an open quarterback competition throughout training camp and the preseason, but it is clear that rookie Drake Maye is facing an uphill battle.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters on Tuesday that he views veteran Jacoby Brissett as the team’s starting quarterback heading into camp.
“Coming out of the spring, I don’t think there’s any doubt, Jacoby is the starting quarterback at this point in time,” Mayo said. “We can look at these other quarterbacks on the roster, at the same time it’s about competition. When we get out on the field this summer with the pads on, we’ll see how it plays out. But coming out of the spring, I think it’s clear that Jacoby is the most pro-ready guy we have.”
Mayo was then asked if he anticipates Maye playing well enough to overtake Brissett for the starting job. The first-year coach said it could “absolutely happen” but reiterated that Brissett has been the team’s best quarterback thus far.
While Jerod Mayo kept the door slightly ajar for Drake Maye to swipe the gig, he makes it clear Jacoby Brissett enters camp on path to start Week 1 pic.twitter.com/GjbhRmBe9b
— Kevin Patra (@kpatra) July 23, 2024
Maye would likely have to outplay Brissett by a wide margin all offseason to earn the starting job in Week 1 as a rookie. The Patriots are expected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, so the last thing they want to do is put the former North Carolina star in a position whether his confidence could be shattered.
Brissett has plenty of starting experience, which is why the Patriots signed him and then drafted a quarterback third overall. Though there have been several flattering reports about Maye throughout the offseason, the odds heavily favor him holding a clipboard to begin his NFL career.
