Patriots HC explains why QB Drake Maye faces an uphill battle for starting role

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told Kay Adams during a Monday appearance on the "Up & Adams" show that rookie quarterback Drake Maye faces an uphill climb to grabbing the starting role by Week 1 of the regular season.

Maye is battling veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett for the top spot on New England's depth chart.

"At the end of camp, if they are neck and neck, if they are so close, if Drake Maye improves, as he should, every practice, every camp, every rep, who's going out there?" Kay asked Mayo.

"That's a tough question, that's a tough question. You know, I think at that point, you have to go NFL experience and you have to go with Jacoby in that instance," the first-year head coach responded.

Adams followed up and asked Mayo what he specifically means when he says in news conferences that he wants the UNC product to be "pro ready" before he ascends to QB1.

"Out here on the field, you can script everything, you have a controlled environment," Mayo said. "When I talk about 'pro ready,' it's the off-schedule type of plays. It's being able to pull the nose up on the plane as it's going down. Those things are what I think about when I say 'pro ready,' just the way they approach the game. Obviously, Jacoby has experience, but Drake is also approaching the game the right way, but we'll just have to see."

As New England's first selection in April's NFL Draft (third overall), the former ACC Player of the Year is the franchise quarterback. The team can likely afford to be patient with Maye, however, as it is not expected to be a contender in 2024 regardless of who's starting.

The Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, meanwhile, all have experienced Pro Bowl signal-callers with fan bases expecting playoff berths in the winter.

The Patriots are still in rebuild mode and therefore can feel comfortable starting the year with Brissett under center.