New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has named the team’s starting quarterback - and it’s not Drake Maye .
Speaking to reporters on the first official day of training camp, Mayo divulged that journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett currently sits atop the Patriots’ QB depth chart. “Coming out of the spring, I don’t think there’s any doubt, Jacoby is the starting quarterback at this point in time,” he began.
“We could look at these other quarterbacks on the roster. At the same time, it’s a competition. So, when we get out on the field this summer with the pads on, we’ll see how it all plays out.
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“But coming out of the spring, I think it’s clear that Jacoby is the most pro-ready. He’s played a lot of football.”
Mayo’s assertion means that Patriots fans will have to wait a while longer before getting to see Maye take reps with New England’s first team. But the first-year head coach left the door open for the rookie quarterback to assume the starting job with strong performances.
“Look, if Drake - and this goes to any position - if he comes out here and he lights it up. Once again, it goes back to quality of reps. It could absolutely happen,” Mayo added.
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“Like, I sit here and tell you coming out of the spring, Jacoby looks like the starting quarterback. Now, with that being said, he’ll have competition. Let’s not forget about even Joe Milton. Let’s not forget about [Bailey] Zappe. All of those guys will have opportunities to go out there and be the starting quarterback.”
Maye began spring practices third in the Patriots quarterback pecking order, slotting in behind Brissett and Zappe and ahead of fellow rookie Joe Milton. By the time New England’s offseason workout program came to a close, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 was fielding snaps as the No. 2 signal-caller.
Coming off a 4-13 season, the Patriots don’t appear to be in any rush to start Maye before he’s ready to face NFL competition. During last month’s OTAs, New England's offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt revealed that the UNC-product was making promising strides in his development, but still had a ways to go.
“It's a marathon over a sprint,” he said. "You don't just go out and run a marathon, you have to train properly for a marathon, and it's the same with a quarterback.
“There's a process, and we follow that process, trust that process - you can't just stick a guy out there and expect him to be successful without the proper training.”
Brissett, meanwhile, has proven to be a dependable starting quarterback over eight seasons in the NFL, boasting an 18-30 record during stints with the Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Browns. In three appearances for the Washington Commanders last season, the 31-year-old completed 18-of-23 passes for 224 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
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