Drake Maye’s practice struggles are immaterial for his future

The same held true digging deeper into the archives and Patriots’ lore, back to when Jim Plunkett and Steve Grogan and Tony Eason (hey, he was a No. 1 pick, we had genuine hope about what he might become) first arrived in Foxborough.

There were no numbers, no stats, ever attached to their practice performances, if the specifics of their practice performances were reported on at all.

And you know what? I think it was better that way. Almost sure of it, actually.

Oh, we got satisfying anecdotes and useful information. A July 21, 2000, story notes that obscure defensive back Kato Serwanga broke up “several Drew Bledsoe passes and [picked] off Tom Brady twice.”

And I had to chuckle at the transparent motivational technique employed by Bill Parcells in a July 30, 1993, article that elaborated on where the rookie Bledsoe stood with the other quarterbacks in camp — backups Scott Zolak and Scott Secules and Mac Jones-armed holdover Tommy Hodson.

Said Parcells, presumably with a straight face, “Each has shown things that interest me. I’m impressed with Tommy Hodson.”

Parcells, his praise apparently not inspiring a willing trade partner/sucker, cut Hodson less than a month later.

Now, don’t misinterpret. The intention here isn’t to knock the modern, extensive, granular coverage of training camp — which seems to include every beat writer tracking and tweeting passing statistics during drills.

Sharing — cue Allen Iverson here — practice stats is a new obligation and phenomenon, one that emerged in the last five years or so. But it makes sense to do it. It maximizes what access reporters do get these days, and for those with bona fide expertise in what they are seeing, it might be a competitive advantage.

The reader/follower/viewer interest is there. The content machine must be fed. It’s worthwhile, mostly.

My frustration with it comes when the stats are presented without context and perspective. Or worse, when they are presented merely to whack the hornet’s nest, farm engagement, chase clout, or make it look like a young player is failing.

Look, we knew Drake Maye had some serious work to do even when the Patriots happily and rightfully selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft. You knew it, I knew it, and Bill Belichick knew it.

His strengths are obvious — a laser-rocket arm, charisma, effortless leadership ability, decent elusiveness. So are his weaknesses. Belichick practically had to look away while cringing at Maye’s footwork during his draft-night appearance on Pat McAfee’s show.

Maye is a superb prospect, and he’ll work relentlessly to fulfill his promise. But there’s a reason the Patriots brought Jacoby Brissett in. It’s going to take time for Maye to be The Guy.

During the nine training camp practices through Saturday, Maye has had — let’s call it an uneven go of it. He struggled Monday and Tuesday last week, found some footing in midweek practices, then struggled again Saturday, by all accounts looking hesitant and perplexed.

That’s not an encouraging start, but it’s not an unexpected one either. He’s a 21-year-old rookie quarterback practicing against a strong veteran defense, swimming in new information, and just trying to keep his helmet above water.

I won’t say this is how it is supposed to go, but this is how it was most likely going to go.

And yet those struggles, and the laboriously charted statistics that confirm them, are already being deployed to suggest Maye is on his way to Bust-dom, if not already there.

One Boston sports radio show, within two minutes of me turning it on this week, was comparing him to Ryan Leaf and Jameis Winston, the former a historic bust, the latter a No. 1 overall pick who settled into a career of wild inconsistency.

Meanwhile, on his national show, Colin Cowherd said, “Don’t be surprised if Joe Milton wins the job.” Joe Milton has breathtaking arm talent, but he has about as much a chance of winning the job this year as Tommy Hodson does.

But Cowherd got attention for it. And that’s the lousy game. They don’t really care about being correct, though it is an occasional outcome for some of these guys. They care about response and engagement. And not enough of us see through it.

It’s fair to say that Maye has struggled nine practices into his pro career, because it’s true. Anecdotes, observations, and most of those dutifully charted statistics confirm it.

It’s not fair to suggest that it means a damn thing for his future.

Some days, such as Saturday, he’ll go 0 for 4 in red zone drills, looking befuddled with every dropback.

Just as some days, Kato Serwanga turned into vintage Mike Haynes against Bledsoe and that skinny kid Brady.

It’s Maye’s first training camp. We’re nine practices into something we knew would take time. Real progress will come, perhaps before he accumulates real stats in a real NFL game, but probably after.

Anyone implying, hinting at, or flat-out drawing conclusions now doesn’t have your best interests as a fan at heart. They have their own, and only their own.

Their currency isn’t information. Their currency is attention, by any means.

It’s worth remembering that now, and again when better days are here and the statistics actually count.