Drake Maye has not been great in Patriots training camp, and that’s OK to say

Whether oversensitive media members and Patriot Nation fans want to admit it or not, Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye has not been great in his first week of training camp in New England.

Not sure if we’re allowed to say this anymore in these Mayo-led parts either, but it is what it is.

To borrow from Jelly Roll’s latest hit song, right now things aren’t OK for Maye but they can still be all right.

Through six training camp practices, the latest two in full pads, too frequently Maye has looked indecisive, inaccurate and inefficient running first-year offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s new-look New England offense.

It’s not just that Maye is making rookie mistakes, like his late, across the field throw on a pick-6 interception by Matthew Judon.

It’s that the up-and-down progressions that we saw throughout spring OTAs and mini-camp has flat lined at best and maybe even regressed a bit.

It’s not that he’s clearly behind experienced journeyman veteran seat-warming starter Jacoby Brissett, it’s that there’s been times when Maye has been arguably the fourth-best quarterback on the field. Yes, why-is-he-still-here? and physically-inferior holdover veteran Bailey Zappe has been more productive at times this summer in his much, much fewer reps. Even scattershot sixth-round fellow rookie Joe Milton has had more highlights and feel-good moments than Maye, and that’s not including his trademark celebratory backflips.

Again, though, that’s OK. Right?

Rookies are supposed to face growing pains. They are expected to struggle at times. Especially against a veteran defense that head coach Jerod Mayo noted was projected to be well ahead of the entire new offense early in the process, not just the green QB of the future.

And it’s far from all Maye’s fault, regardless of any hitch in his throwing motion. His offensive line is a work in progress, especially when he’s often setting up behind backups to a first-unit that can barely field five representative “starters” at this point.

It’s also notable that Maye’s rookie receivers – second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk and fourth-rounder Javon Baker – haven’t exactly done him any narrative-boosting favors at times. There was a stretch of 11-on-11 plays for Maye in Tuesday’s sixth practice of camp in which Baker seemed to stop running a crossing route, Polk dropped a pretty impressive ball from the young passer rolling to his left and then Baker failed to go up and make a play on a ball at front pylon in the end zone.

All three were good throws. All could have been crowd-pleasing completions. All ended with the sad trombone.

But, alas, here we are. Breaking down Maye’s slower-than-expected development early in his initial NFL training camp.

Some will tell you there is nothing to see here. That it’s only six practices. That Maye’s a rookie finding his way in these way-too-early times to assess anything.

Yet many of those same people will go out of their own way to talk up some plays made by Baker or Polk or Keion White or Kyle Dugger or any of the many other names that have shown up and shown out through a week of camp.

This is the NFL. Everything matters. Mayo and Van Pelt have both said that they are always observing, assessing and evaluating. Always. Even and especially during the first week of camp.

So, it’s indeed far less than ideal that Maye has not looked great to any of the honest, objective eyes watching practice over the last week.

It’s also by no means a sign the sky is falling in Foxborough. Or that Maye is the next Mac Jones. Or that he can’t be the next Josh Allen.

But Maye has not been great to open his rookie camp.

He’s been underwhelming at best.

He’s been disappointing at worst.

That’s OK…for now.