Patriots' Jerod Mayo addresses training camp struggles of Drake Maye

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye seemingly left much to be desired during training camp practices, amid competition for the starting job that veteran Jacoby Brissett may have already won.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo spoke with reporters Thursday and preached patience regarding the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

"We all support Drake," Mayo said, as shared by Keagan Stiefel of NESN. "I know what it’s like to be a rookie, and it’s not all peaches and cream… It’s the second week of training camp. We have a game here a week from now. He’ll have an opportunity to go out there and participate with — if you want to call it the ones, the ones — but we mix and match."

Maye reportedly has been outperformed in some New England practices by sixth-round draft pick Joe Milton III. The former North Carolina Tar Heels star also has been compared to Mac Jones, the 2021 first-round selection traded by the Patriots to the Jacksonville Jaguars this past March.

The previously mentioned Brissett ended July on track to start New England's regular-season opener at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8. There's currently no indication Maye can close the gap over the next four weeks.

"I would say all the rookies are battling through something," Mayo continued. "It’s a different scheme. It’s a different stake. There’s just so much that has changed for these guys, but what you want to see is that they handle it the right way. You don’t want to see the explosions on the sidelines, you don’t want to see any of that. It’s all about turning the page."

Analysts have suggested since the spring that Brissett could remain atop New England's depth chart through at least the start of the club's Week 14 bye. The Patriots play at the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15 on Dec. 15 and, theoretically, could use the break to get Maye ready for his first regular-season start if he's deemed ready for live action by then.

"I got this feeling when we met with Drake in Carolina, just his mental toughness and competitiveness," Mayo added. "He understands that it’s not always going to be clean. I will say, he’s handled it well. I know the players have really enjoyed working with him, and he’s a competitor."

Maye should receive opportunities to silence chatter about his practice performances when New England starts the preseason portion of the calendar with a home game against the Carolina Panthers next Thursday night. With that said, it sounds like fans should expect to see the 21-year-old make a few ugly mistakes versus Carolina as he focuses more so on his overall development than on beating opponents on fall Sundays.