Fear of the Patriots ruining Drake Maye is starting to look valid

When all was said and done with free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, there wasn't much optimism regarding the Patriots' offense and how much effort was put in to improve the roster from the abysmal season a year before. The selection of quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick was well-received, but the lack of sufficient pieces around him drew concerns about his upcoming NFL debut.

Although it was repeatedly stated that Jacoby Brissett would be the starting quarterback in Week 1, the assumption remained that Maye would eventually take over under center. When that would be was up in the air, but it was clearly inevitable at some point.

Fears grew while watching Brissett get manhandled every week with a questionable offensive line protecting him and what that could do to a rookie quarterback in his place. On top of that, the everchanging and underwhelming play calling brought on concerns for Maye's eventual start, as nothing was looking good offensively.

Fortunately, since the rookie was named the starter for Week 6, things have looked much smoother than initially anticipated. That's certainly something to celebrate and applaud Maye for, but the worries that began early in his tenure might have some legs as the team prepares for their second matchup with the Jets on Sunday.

Several factors are creating concerns regarding Drake Maye's development this year

Besides likely starting the eighth offensive line group in eight games being less than favorable for Maye in Week 8, the declining offense is a bit more concerning regarding his development and chance at success.

He's navigated through the struggles of a far-from-solid offensive line around him much better than anyone could have guessed, but the lack of production from the running backs in recent weeks doesn't bode well for his long-term success within this offense.

Perhaps it could be chalked up to Rhamondre Stevenson missing a game due to injury and barely practicing before his return last week. Or maybe it's the inexperience of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who has been questionable at best so far in his tenure.

No matter what it is, however, seeing the running back group go from the 8th-ranked grouping in YPG in Weeks 1-5 to the 30th-ranked group in the two weeks since is nearly confirming Patriots fans' worst fear of the team 'ruining' Maye early in his career. Although it doesn't completely attribute to his performance, which has been stellar thus far, not having a reliable backfield to utilize is significant for any quarterback, but especially a rookie.

The worst part is the rapid decline of the running backs' usage and if that pattern continues, what that might mean for Maye the rest of the season.

Hopefully, that won't be the case, and the Patriots' game plan against an underperforming Jets team on Sunday will be exactly what gets them back on track, especially for Maye. That would be a great sign of what's to come and put some of these worries at ease, at least for the time being.

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