After Tom Brady, it has been a rough going at the quarterback position for the New England Patriots. Brief stints with the likes of Cam Newton didn’t work out, and as much potential as Mac Jones showed, the end product didn’t turn out to be as good as the rookie season indicated. With Drake Maye, the organization has to be looking to buck the trend, especially after a very solid first year.
As a result, the Patriots were proactive in surrounding Maye with the right pieces right off the bat, leading to an extremely productive offseason. Now, with a far better offensive line and supporting cast around him, fans have to be excited about what the Pro Bowl alternative from last year can accomplish in 2025. But when do they get their first taste of action from the youngster?
Will Drake Maye Suit Up Against the Washington Commanders?
In a battle of two wildly promising quarterbacks, Maye hopes to gain an edge over his draft class rival, Jayden Daniels. Last year, Daniels registered the best rookie season for a quarterback in NFL history.
Leading the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, he immediately cemented himself as one of the elite QBs in the league. Maye, while excellent in his own right, was nowhere near Daniels’ levels.
Suiting up in 13 games, he tallied 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns behind a porous offensive line. However, a pleasant surprise for New England was his scrambling ability, as he added 421 yards on an absurd 7.8 yards per carry.
He’ll look to improve on that performance and increase the win total for the Patriots. New head coach Mike Vrabel believes the process of that improvement begins in their first preseason game against Washington.
Speaking to the Boston Herald, he was as direct as he could be, “I would say most everybody that’s healthy should expect to play in the game. How long they’ll play, I don’t know. But we have to prepare to play in football games and prepare to win football games. So, that’s the mentality that we’re going to take.”
#Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye’s final 2024 preseason stat line:
21/34 (62%) 192 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
7 rushes, 32 yards, 1 TDpic.twitter.com/GyIDo7aTqM— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) August 26, 2024
Last year, the lack of playing time for the former third overall pick in the preseason was a major talking point. However, the veteran Vrabel is keen on taking the kid gloves off.
What’s at Stake for Maye?
The last time New England had a rookie quarterback register an impressive rookie season and make the Pro Bowl as an alternative was Jones. Unfortunately, his career didn’t pan out the way the franchise was hoping for.
As a result, the biggest obstacle Maye is facing is ghosts of years past. A strong performance in the first preseason game would go a long way in abating fans’ worst fears. And it could also set him up for a quality sophomore season after showing signs of life in his first go-around.
