Promising New England Patriots news on QB Drake Maye’s improvement and abilities during training camp

The New England Patriots selected quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, recognizing that he still required significant development. While the rookie trails Jacoby Brissett in the Patriots quarterback race right now, there is some positive chatter in New England.

Maye, 21, won ACC Player of the Year honors in his first season as a starter for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-4 quarterback appeared to suffer the next season due to a poor supporting cast surrounding him.

New England drafted Maye with the understanding that he might not be ready to play in September. The young signal-caller must improve his reaction under pressure, make better decisions, and reduce his high-risk throws. He also has an uphill battle in training camp, trailing veteran Jacoby Brissett and spending the majority of his reps with the second-team offense.

While Maye has struggled with his accuracy in practice, and beat writers monitoring throws by Patriots quarterbacks give Brissett a significant advantage, New England is not concerned. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Maye’s “rough moments” in camp were due to running with the second-team offense on a club with limited offensive line depth.

Maye may not be lighting up the Patriots’ defense at camp, but he is still making a good impression in other areas. Specifically, team executives told Breer that the coaching staff is very impressed with Maye’s processing ability this early.

Coaches have praised his ability to quickly go from one to two to three reads, and he recently delivered a touchdown throw on his fourth read during red-zone drills. He perceives everything clearly, and his footwork has improved significantly.”

Albert Breer on criticism from the New England Patriots coaching staff about Drake Maye

There’s no denying Maye is losing the Patriots quarterback race, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Brissett was the Washington Commanders’ top quarterback in 2023, and he outperformed Deshaun Watson in 2022 with the Cleveland Browns. Maye was also seen as somewhat of a project quarterback.

The good news for the Patriots is that Maye’s development appears to be ahead of schedule, and the coaching staff has already seen significant progress in important areas. So, while Maye is unlikely to start in September, he should soon become the Patriots’ quarterback.

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