Devin McCourty gives his take on who should start as Patriots QB

Count Devin McCourty among those who think that Jacoby Brissett will get the starting nod for the Patriots in Week 1. 

But the former All-Pro safety and three-time Super Bowl champion believes that it won’t be an easy call for Jerod Mayo and New England’s coaching staff.

McCourty, who was part of the desk team for NBC’s’ broadcast of the Patriots-Commanders preseason game on Sunday, gave his take on the state of New England’s QB competition during the matchup at Commanders Field.

“I think it’s still Jacoby’s job,” McCourty said when asked by NBC’s Mike Tirico and Chris Collinsworth about New England’s QB1, as transcribed by MassLive’s Matt Vautour. “I know it’s impressive watching Drake Maye, but you have to remember it is vanilla defenses in the preseason. It hasn’t been Washington’s starters. 

“But they have to be encouraged by what they see. Drake Maye is getting better. From where he started in the spring to where he is now, it shows that he can be the guy someday for this team.”

Even Mayo acknowledged on Monday that Maye has played better than Brissett during preseason action. However, those strides made by the Patriots’ rookie could be undone in short order if Maye spends most of the regular season slammed into the turf due to a porous O-line. 

Considering how Mac Jones went from a Pro-Bowl talent as a rookie to a benched player on a broken offense in 2023, it should come as little surprise that the Patriots plan on being cautious with their latest first-round quarterback. 

“Overall day-to-day I think they still have more confidence, going into Week 1 against Cincinnati, to put Jacoby out there to handle some things,” McCourty noted. “I think what happened with Mac Jones is still fresh in people’s minds in New England.

“‘If we put him out there early and it doesn’t go well with the pieces we really want around him, will this ruin his career?’ I think they’re thinking about it. They won’t talk about it, but it has to be fresh in their mind.”

Keeping Maye on the sideline as New England sorts out its offensive line might be a prudent move for a franchise that’s likely a few seasons away from making a legitimate push for a playoff spot.

But McCourty did also note that New England’s current defense — one of the few expected bright spots on this 2024 roster — might be disheartened if Maye is not given a chance to give a lackluster offense a shot in the arm at some point this season.

“The way Drake Maye has performed in these last two games is going to get some guys — especially if you’re on the defensive side of the ball. You aren’t in all the meetings and you don’t hear all the coaching, but you see it,” McCourty said. “If he continues to do this in practice, there will be guys in practice who say ‘I want to see (Maye) out there. I think that adds even more to the story.”