Patriots’ starting QB battle ‘isn’t over’ after rookie Drake Maye shines in preseason game

The Patriots haven’t handed over the keys to presumptive starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett just yet.

Hours after rookie quarterback Drake Maye shined in the Patriots’ 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles on Thursday, head coach Jerod Mayo said the battle for the role of QB1 “definitely isn’t over.”

“Stepping up into pressure, I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays,” Mayo said of Maye on Friday, according to ESPN .

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Maye, the third overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, led the Patriots on two of the team’s three scoring drives, going 6-of-11 for 47 yards.

He also ran for a touchdown.

The former North Carolina product played in the second and third quarters of the contest at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

“I think every time you get out there you get more and more confident,” Maye said afterward, per Pro Football Talk . “First off, it’s always going to be the nerves, getting out and running out there the first time. But other than that, more reps are only going to help me. At the end of the day, I’m just fortunate to be able to get out there get some reps and make the most of my opportunities.”

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Brissett, a nine-year NFL veteran who began his career with the Patriots in 2016 before re-signing with the team in March, had a disappointing showing against Philadelphia, completing three passes for 17 yards and an interception.

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Although Brissett was dubbed “the starter” by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt at minicamp in June, Mayo left the door open in his postgame press conference Thursday.

“For me, we always talk about competition, and that’s at all spots, so, even if Drake beats out Jacoby, I mean, he earned that role … When he’s ready to go, and if he’s better than Jacoby, then he’ll play, he’ll start,” the first-year coach said .

The Patriots do have two other quarterbacks on their roster — for now, at least — in veteran Bailey Zappe and sixth-round rookie Joe Milton III, who showed flashes in last week’s preseason opener.

New England will close out the preseason next week against the Commanders before traveling to Cincinnati for their season opener against the Bengals on Sept. 8.

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