Patriots
“It’s still a competition, and Jacoby (Brissett) is still QB1.”
FOXBOROUGH — With just one more preseason game left on the docket, Jerod Mayo and the Patriots are continuing to weigh all options when it comes to which quarterback will get the start in Week 1 against the Bengals.
For months, the writing had been on the wall that veteran free-agent pickup Jacoby Brissett was poised to fill in as a bridge starter this season — giving Drake Maye ample time to develop and learn from the sidelines as New England’s future franchise fixture under center.
But after the past week, Maye’s development timeline might have accelerated — with Brissett’s own dip in play carving out a potential scenario where Maye is handed the keys to the offense well ahead of schedule.
“We have three more days of training camp practices and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate, and the competition isn’t over,” Mayo said after New England’s second preseason matchup against the Eagles. “They’re still going to go out there and they have to show not only themselves and their coaches but their teammates. So, it’s definitely still a competition.”
Even though Maye has primarily played with New England’s second-string offense for most of training camp, the rookie seemingly narrowed the gap between him and Brissett last Thursday in the Patriots’ 14-13 loss to the Eagles at Gillette Stadium.
While Brissett struggled in limited action (3-for-7, 17 yards, one interception) against Philadelphia, Maye showcased some of the athleticism and arm strength that made him such a coveted draft target in April.
Maye went 6-for-11 for 47 yards while also scrambling for a touchdown — with New England scoring on two of his four series against the Eagles.
Wednesday’s practice at Gillette Stadium saw Maye continue to take steps forward, earning a few snaps with the starting offense over Brissett.
“Yeah, I think there are definitely some things I can take and move forward with. Things I thought I did well,” Maye said of his growing confidence on Wednesday. “Still dropped a snap, little things here there. But, at the same time, the more and more reps out here, the more and more (passes), the more and more in this offense, I’m finding a groove and getting more comfortable.”
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s practice, Mayo confirmed that the battle for the top spot on New England’s depth chart remains in progress.
“It’s still a competition, and Jacoby (Brissett) is still QB1,” head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters. “It’s a competition amongst all of the guys on the field, including the quarterback spot. Hopefully that makes sense to you guys, but he’s still QB1.”
Mayo’s comments put extra emphasis on Sunday’s preseason finale against the Commanders, with another strong performance from Maye (or lackluster return from Brissett) potentially reshuffling New England’s QB room.
Mayo further stressed the stakes involved with Sunday’s game when asked about when New England might have an idea over which QB will start Week 1 in Cincinnati.
“I would say by Monday night we should know who the quarterback is,” Mayo said. “Sunday night game, it’s always kind of hard to crank through the film, especially on the road, but I think Monday, Monday-Tuesday, we probably need to know who it is. That doesn’t mean I’ll tell you on Monday or Tuesday.”
Regardless of who gets the starting nod on Sunday against Washington, the most interesting thing to follow in the Patriots’ preseason finale is who gets the most snaps between Maye and Brissett — or perhaps more importantly, who makes the most of whatever opportunity Mayo and his staff hands them.
“I think I’m just going to take advantage of my opportunities,” Maye said of his approach over the final days of the preseason. “Jacoby has done a great job. He’s a great player, great teammate. He’s been repping with the 1s the whole time. I’m excited for him and trying to take advantage of the reps I do get and when I’m in there try to have some fun.”
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