Mike Vrabel’s first preseason as head coach of the New England Patriots was a success.
Was it a resounding success? That's probably going too far.
The team’s lack of roster depth was exposed during a brutal preseason finale against the New York Giants. Still, there’s plenty for fans to be excited about — like rookies Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Efton Chism III — and the team left the home crowd at Gillette Stadium buzzing in a blowout win over the Washington Commanders on Aug. 8.
Those grading the Patriots’ preseason should be doing so on a curve. With cut-down day now behind us, more than 40% of the roster has been turned over since Vrabel’s arrival, per Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal, and fans should expect that trend to continue over the next couple of years.
The personnel issues on the back end of the roster aside, the real elephant in the room from this summer's slate of games was more glaring than fans care to believe.
New England Patriots QB Drake Maye had a preseason to forget
Call it growing pains with a second head coach and offensive coordinator in as many years, but Drake Maye’s small preseason sample was not flattering.
Per CBS Sports analyst Tyler Sullivan, who graded every NFL team’s preseason, Maye’s performance pulled the Patriots’ down to a B- overall.
“It was a sneaky poor showing from the promising second-year signal-caller. He completed 58.3% of his passes in brief appearances during the first two exhibitions with no passing touchdowns. Maye did rush for a score in the opener against Washington, but also had a brutal fumble as well. Against Minnesota, the UNC product had a couple of high throws, including one that should've been intercepted. We're not saying to jump off the hype train, but the central figure to what many believe will be a bounce-back season for the Patriots isn't exactly surging into the regular season, which feels notable.”
Unfortunately for Patriots fans, Pro Football Focus agrees, slapping Maye with an overall grade of 42.3 — fourth-worst of the team. While the running game with Henderson looks explosive, and Maye continues to flash elite scrambling ability with his legs, the lack of chunk plays in the passing game this summer was concerning.
Aside from one 20-yard completion to Mack Hollins down the right sideline during the Vikings game, Maye was either completing short passes, missing open receivers, or tucking the ball away to run. And while scrambling for first downs in the regular season will be celebrated, those are empty yards in the preseason, facing second- and third-stringers with no real defensive schemes.
It’s fair to point out Maye’s showing as lackluster, and a B- grade for the Patriots’ preseason feels about right after that Giants debacle. It’s also way too early to start panicking, as we haven’t yet seen Maye on the field with Stefon Diggs, Hunter Henry, and the full first-team offense in a real game setting.
New England’s young QB had some good moments during joint practices with the Commanders and Vikings. He could easily look like a different player when the lights turn on for real vs. the Raiders in Week 1. That’s what Patriots fans will be hoping for, at least.