Thursday night saw both Patriots quarterbacks struggle. Drake Maye finished the lopsided loss, but Jacoby Brissett was in place for much of the game. New England will stick with the veteran moving forward.

“Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he’s not the quarterback,” head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed during a Friday press conference (video link). “I thought last night, he showed a lot of toughness, a lot of grit. On protection breakdowns, tried to do what we asked him to do. But I would say, just as a team, as a coaching staff, we’ve just got to be better.”

The Patriots managed just 139 yards of offense, scoring three points. Brissett completed 12 of 18 pass attempts, but he totaled only 98 yards while taking five sacks. Maye logged 16 snaps in relief, but he took a pair of sacks and completed half of his eight passes. In the wake of a struggle along the offensive line in particular, it comes as no surprise Brissett will remain atop the depth chart for now.

Mayo did add, however, that the team’s practice rep allocation will remain the same moving forward. As a result, Maye will continue to take roughly 30% of the snaps with the first-team offense. As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted prior to yesterday’s game, the first-round rookie has shared reps with both the first-team unit and the scout team in addition to side work with quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney (video link). Maye’s development is a key priority for the 2024 season, and the No. 3 pick drew praise from Mayo for his training camp and preseason showings before a final decision on the team’s starting quarterback was made.

Brissett got the nod for the QB1 spot to start the year, but the expectation has remained that Maye will take over at some point during the campaign. Patience while the team’s offensive line and skill position corps develops is a sensible approach for the Patriots, though, and Brissett is a familiar passer to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Hired after a strong push was made to bring Nick Caley back into the organization under the OC title, Van Pelt will be counted on as a key figure in Maye’s acclimation to the NFL. That process will continue to take place in a backup capacity for the time being.

During the season, members of a team’s starting offense or defense typically see all-but exclusive time with the first-team units in practice. In the case of the Patriots, though, quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye are splitting work with the starting offense.

“It’s not a secret, we have a quarterback in the wings that needs to continue to develop,” head coach Jerod Mayo said on Friday (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “Normally, the starter gets, let’s say, 95% of the reps. This is a little bit different. I guess the struggle is, ‘How do you get your starting quarterback prepared for the game and also continue to develop the guy in the background, which is Drake?’ And so it is like a 70-30 split.”

Brissett was added in free agency on a one-year deal, but it was widely assumed at the time New England would select a quarterback in the draft. Indeed, as part of the process of replacing Mac Jones, the team turned aside trade interest for the No. 3 pick and drafted Maye. Brissett entered training camp atop the depth chart, but Maye impressed during practice and the preseason to the point Mayo acknowledged the North Carolina product had been the better passer.

Nevertheless, it came as no surprise when Brissett was named the Patriots’ starter to begin the campaign. The 31-year-old is a veteran of 49 starts – including Sunday’s upset win over the Bengals – and Maye was seen as a prospect in need of development time compared to many of his classmates. It is still considered a matter of time for a QB change to take place at some point in 2024, though, which explains Mayo’s unusual approach to divvying up practice reps.

“We were very thoughtful. When we talked about having a developmental plan for Drake, that’s part of it,” Mayo added. “I’ve tried not to get too deep into what that plan actually looks like, but he still takes reps with the starters and does a good job on the [scout] team as well. He’s doing a good job, and you can see his confidence continuing to grow.”

One of five head coaches taking on that role for the first time in 2024, Mayo’s debut New England campaign will be measured in large part by Maye’s development once he takes over the starting gig. The fact he is continuing to take reps with the first-team offense is another indication Maye could be tapped for the QB1 role relatively soon, although Brissett’s play in the meantime will of course be a determining factor in that regard.

Drake Maye impressed during his first summer in the NFL, but Jacoby Brissett will handle starting quarterback duties for the Patriots to start the year. A change in the pecking order midway through the campaign would still come as no surprise, though.

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Brissett signed a one-year deal in free agency to operate as an experienced option in New England’s post-Mac Jones QB room. The team turned aside considerable interest for the No. 3 pick, selecting Maye and in doing so making him the central figure in their offensive plan. Head coach Jerod Mayo praised Maye’s performance in training camp and the preseason, but leaning on Brissett early on will allow New England’s O-line and receiving corps to develop without Maye on the field.

With that said, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports it is considered a matter of “when” and not “if” Maye takes over at some point relatively soon in the 2024 season. The North Carolina product entered the league as one of the younger signal-callers in his draft class with plenty of mechanical adjustments being deemed necessary. Mayo said Maye “outplayed” Brissett in the build-up to his starter’s decision (a comment he has since walked back to an extent), and he left the door open to a quarterback change depending on how Brissett starts the year.

The 31-year-old made three appearances with the Commanders last season, but his most recent first-team action came in 2022. Brissett served as the Browns’ starter to begin the campaign while Deshaun Watson was suspended, working under offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt during that time. Overall, he has racked up 48 starts in his career, one which began with New England in 2016. The former third-rounder served as a full-time starter twice with the Colts, but most of his recent campaigns have seen him primarily handle backup duties.

Signs still point to that being the case once again in 2024, particularly if Brissett were to struggle during his first few starts. Maye is under contract through 2027 at a minimum, whereas Brissett is a pending free agent. The latter thus has plenty at stake for the coming campaign, but how long he remains atop the depth chart will be an ongoing question once the season kicks off.

The Patriots concluded the 2024 preseason on Sunday night, with both Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye seeing time under center. As a final decision on the team’s Week 1 starting quarterback is contemplated, the rookie’s performance this summer has made this a closer call than it seemed to be at the start of training camp.

“This is a true competition, and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby,” head coach Jerod Mayo said during a Monday appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show (h/t ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp… It starts in practice and also in the game, where Drake has played better.

“There are multiple factors that have to go into this decision. One is the total body of work, whether we’re talking about the spring or the entirety of training camp. And I would also say, oftentimes we forget about the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, which will also be weighted in the decision we have to make in the near future.”

Selected third overall April’s draft – after the Patriots turned down trade offers from the Giants and Vikings – Maye has long been known to be the team’s long-term plan at quarterback. The North Carolina product was one of the younger passers in his draft class, though, and his underwhelming play in 2023 led many to label him a candidate for a developmental rookie season. With Brissett in place on a one-year deal, redshirting Maye is certainly an option for Mayo and Co. Veteran reporter Josina Anderson notes the 31-year-old is viewed as the better option to begin the season by some in the Patriots’ organization.

To little surprise, Brissett entered training camp atop the depth chart. His summer performances have not impressed, however, and Mayo’s confirmation that Maye has outplayed him comes after the first-time head coach publicly left the door open to a change in the pecking order. With three preseason contests to evaluate (along with practice showings), the fact that Maye has made up ground adds further intrigue to this situation.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have already earned the QB1 title for their respective teams. Maye could become the fourth rookie to see the field in Week 1, and a decision should be made in the coming days on whether he or Brissett will get the nod. A cautions approach would still not come as a surprise, but Mayo’s sentiment points to Maye having a strong chance to secure the starting gig right away.

Three rookie quarterbacks – Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix – will start for their respective teams in Week 1. Michael Penix Jr. has Kirk Cousins ahead of him on the depth chart, while J.J. McCarthy‘s debut campaign will consist of rehabbing from meniscus surgery.

It remains to be seen what the Patriots will do with Drake Maye. The No. 3 pick in April’s draft was seen as more of a project than some of his classmates given his age (21) and the fact he only served as a starter for the past two seasons. With veteran Jacoby Brissett in place as a bridge starter, it came as no surprise Maye entered training camp No. 2 on the depth chart.

After the North Carolina product saw limited usage in New England’s first preseason game, it seemed the team’s plan to employ a patient development plan with him would continue. Maye’s playing time increased last week, though, and Brissett has struggled during training camp and his exhibition game reps. Head coach Jerod Mayo said last week the competition was not over, leaving the door open to Maye landing the Week 1 gig. No final call will be made until after the Patriots’ preseason finale.

“It’s still a competition, and Jacoby is still QB1,” Mayo said (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). “It’s a competition amongst all the guys on the field, including the quarterback spot. I would say by Monday night, we should know who the quarterback is.”

New England’s preseason will wrap up on Sunday, and both Brissett and Maye will see game time. The former, as Mayo confirmed, is still in place as the top option as things stand, but the latter has impressed with respect to his development so far. As Volin notes, the team’s offensive line and skill-position corps both remain a work in progress, factors which would lend themselves to using Brissett at the start of the year. That could still wind up being the case, but Mayo echoed his satisfaction with how far Maye has come so far.

“We always have to be flexible in regard to the plan,” Mayo added. “Right now, it’s all going the right way, the right direction. I would say his teammates can see that confidence growing as well. Hopefully, it’s just an upward trajectory from here.”

At the onset of training camp, Jacoby Brissett resided atop the Patriots’ quarterback depth chart. That came as little surprise, considering the attention being placed on developing No. 3 pick Drake Maye at a slow pace.

Head coach Jerod Mayo made it clear, however, that the door remained open for the latter to earn the Week 1 nod with a strong showing in camp and the preseason. With two of the team’s three exhibition contests in the books, Maye has done enough to at least keep himself in consideration. Mayo’s most recent comments on the matter confirm no decision on a starting passer has been made yet.

“We have three more days of training camp practices, and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate and the competition isn’t over,” the first-year head coach said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “They have to show not only themselves and the coaches [but] also their teammates.”

Maye only played one series in Week 1 of the preseason, but that total quadrupled last night against the Eagles. The North Carolina alum completed six of 11 pass attempts for 47 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. That marked a step forward from his limited production (and opportunities) last week, and Brissett has not filled the statsheet when on the field so far. The 31-year-old has gone a combined 3-for-10 for 17 scoreless yards and one interception in preseason action.

Brissett signed a one-year, $8MM pact in free agency to return to the Patriots and serve as a bridge starter. He has 48 starts to his name split across time with the Colts, Browns and Dolphins along with his previous New England stint. After the team turned down considerable interest for the third overall pick and used it on Maye, though, it was clear he represented the passer of the future – and potentially present – pending his ability to acclimate to the NFL level this offseason.

Mayo added that both signal-callers will play on August 25, New England’s preseason finale. A final decision will no doubt only be made after that contest, with Brissett and Maye’s respective showings being taken into consideration. As Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and (in all likelihood) Bo Nix prepare for Week 1 starting gigs as first-round rookies, Maye could soon join them in that respect. It will be interesting to see how Brissett performs in the final practices of training camp and the upcoming exhibition game as he attempts to delay Maye’s debut.

To little surprise, Jacoby Brissett has found himself atop quarterback the depth chart this offseason as the Patriots develop first-round rookie Drake Maye. The latter will have the opportunity to spend at least some time with the starting offense during training camp, though.

“[I]t’s the second week of training camp,” head coach Jerod Mayo said when addressing the media (h/t Pro Football Talks’ Myles Simmons). “We have a game here a week from now. He’ll have an opportunity to go out there and participate with, if you want to call them ‘The Ones,’ but we mix and match.”

Maye overtook Bailey Zappe for the backup spot during the spring as part of ongoing acclimation process. The most recent update on New England’s competition made it clear, however, that Brissett would open training camp as the projected starter. Mayo confirmed at that point Maye would have the opportunity to claim the Week 1 gig if he were to significantly impress during summer practices and, of course, the preseason. The Patriots’ upcoming exhibition schedule will offer more clarity on where things stand.

The Patriots turned down considerable interest in the No. 3 pick, and doing so allowed them to select Maye as their QB of the future. The North Carolina product did not live up to expectations in 2023, but his performance the year before, coupled with his age, leave him with notable upside. Brissett was added in free agency to serve as a stop-gap starter if needed, a role he will hold until Maye is given the reins.

New England has made a number of moves at the receiver position this offseason, and retaining Rhamondre Stevenson means the team’s running game will have continuity in 2024. Questions remain regarding the Patriots’ offensive line, though, and working out a starting unit before using Maye in live (regular season) action would be a sensible approach. The team is in no hurry to move Brissett down the depth chart, but he will not have a monopoly on first-team action during the build-up to preseason action.