Patriots Coach Jerod Mayo Reveals Drake Maye Preseason Plans vs. Eagles?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — While New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye may have seen limited action in his pro debut last Thursday, the No. 3 overall pick in April’s Draft is set to take on a increased workload in the coming week.

With the NFC powerhouse Philadelphia Eagles scheduled to visit Gillette Stadium for a joint practice on Tuesday, along with a preseason tilt on Thursday evening at 7 p.m, head coach Jerod Mayo appears ready to adequately test the Pats’ young phenom against a team known for its defensive prowess.

“For all the quarterbacks, it’s a huge week to really show development,” Mayo told reporters on Sunday. “Drake will play more this week, for sure. But don’t forget, anytime you practice against a team, they’ll get a lot of good reps against someone else and based on that, we’ll see how they’ll play in a game.

In contrast to the talent showcases provided to Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams and Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels over the weekend, Maye played sparingly in New England’s 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers in their preseason opener last week. With veteran (and projected starter) Jacoby Brissett having navigated New England’s first drive, Maye took the field to lead the Patriots on their second offensive series. In his inaugural drive as both a Patriot and a pro quarterback, the UNC product completed two of his passes for 19 yards — with both of his completions coming on screen passes. Maye’s sole misfire sailed a bit high off play action, but still hit receiver Jalen Reagor in the hands for relatively catchable pass.

Though Maye’s development is considered to be a work in progress, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has been impressed with his young quarterback’s progression.

“He's been impressive and done everything we've asked him,” Van Pelt remarked to Patriots season-ticket holders on hand for Sunday’s practice. “He studies really hard and puts the work in. We've cleaned up his footwork ... the biggest thing I've seen from him is the ability to process quickly. He can go from the first read to the third read very quickly. He sees the field really well."

Maye has been described by some draft analysts as an “ideal fit” within Van Pelt’s offense. Perhaps best known for his elite arm strength, the 21-year-old also possesses the velocity and touch on the ball to make any throw required of him — including those into tight windows. Accordingly, he has been heralded as one of the best navigators of the entire field in this season’s Draft class. Maye is equally touted for his exceptional athleticism. When the play breaks down, he possesses the both agility and instinct to turn off-script options into big gains.

Still, Maye has spent much of his time on the Gillette Stadium practice fields throughout the past month working on his fundamentals. His reps have included play-action drop backs and lining up with his left foot in front while in the shotgun — an alignment which Van Pelt stresses to help the quarterback maintain rhythm. The technique marks a departure for Maye, who primarily operated out of the shotgun for North Carolina while leading with his right foot.

Thus far, Maye’s performance has been met with mixed reviews. He not only has tossed several would-be scoring strikes, but he also showcased the velocity, touch and placement of the ball which will eventually land him the starting job.

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Still, there have also been frequent struggles in connecting with his receivers, as well as a palpable lack of comfort behind his offensive line.

Maye and the Patriots will look to quell some of these concerns in what promises to be a big week in Foxborough for the team’s preseason hopes.