Patriots starting Drake Maye at QB will have ripple effect on surprising players

The Patriots went into the 2024 season with what seemed to be a solid plan regarding how they would handle their quarterback situation with Jacoby Brissett and Darke Maye. The veteran had been signed to be a bridge player for the incoming rookie, no matter who was drafted, and would be a mentor as he learned about the NFL from the sideline.

It was a plan that many agreed was the right thing to do, even Tom Brady, and the belief was that would remain the case through the 2024 season, no matter how the team fared.

Even with that in mind, however, whispers began about the decision to keep Maye on the bench after the team went 1-4 in the first month of the year, prompting more debate about the right time to put the rookie in and bench Brissett. That became the topic of conversation in the days since their latest loss to the Dolphins on Sunday, especially since Brissett's final play of the game was a head-scratcher.

That's partly why the announcement of Maye being named the starting quarterback for Week 6 wasn't exactly breaking news and was more welcomed than not. Besides the fans embracing the change (for the most part), it's likely his teammates will as well, even if Brissett has been an absolute trooper with all he's dealt with through five games.

But a few groups in particular will benefit the most from Maye's first start, which could ultimately put the Patriots back on track to win some more games this season.

3 groups who will benefit most from Drake Maye being named the starting quarterback

Wide receivers (DeMario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk)

Among the various issues with the Patriots' offense this season has been the lack of full integration of some of their best wide receivers into the weekly game plan, most notably DeMario Douglas. He was the team's best weapon during the 2023 season and has barely touched the ball through the first five games, which he has shown frustration over as recently as Week 4.

Now, with Maye under center, who has already expressed his fondness of working with Douglas, more opportunities will be coming their way.

The former UNC quarterback compared Douglas to his college teammate, receiver Josh Downs, who was his favorite target during his two years as the starter. Maye also worked well with fellow rookie Polk throughout the summer, so he could also see more involvement.

It's a win/win for all involved, but especially for the offense, as they hope Maye will provide a boost to help move the ball down the field and score some points.

Offensive line (Nick Leverett and Vederian Lowe)

Although they have been far from perfect and their performance has garnered a lot of concern since the announcement of Maye starting was made, their best performance came against the Dolphins in Week 5, which could mean they're finally on the right track with their starting lineup.

It was the fifth new group of the season, but they're expected to remain for the upcoming game on Sunday, which is a significant benefit for Maye. The offensive line will also benefit from the rookie being under center, however, as he is more agile than Brissett and can extend plays with much more ease to take some pressure off their plate.

Their next opponent won't make it easy, though, as the Texans have one of the best pass-rushing groups in the NFL and have made some noteworthy quarterbacks have their worst performances of the season so far.

That doesn't bode well for a rookie who is inexperienced working against an NFL-caliber defense, but the hope is that he can use his mobility to protect himself and help get his linemen off the hook a bit.

Defense

Because rumors have circulated suggesting that the Patriots locker room was nearing a mutiny over the decision to keep Maye on the bench, especially from the defense since they have had to pick up the slack to help the offense, they will inevitably benefit from the quarterback switch this week.

The defense has been the source of frustration over the last few years, particularly in 2023, which is said to have, in part, led to tension behind the scenes and, ultimately, the benching of Mac Jones for Bailey Zappe.

In hopes of avoiding repeating that a year later, Maye has been named the starter after just five games and is expected to fare better within a less-than-ideal offense than Brissett did, taking a lot of pressure off the defense to do more than they need to in order to hand more opportunities to the offense.

Tension was already beginning to rise within the defense due to some players trying to "do too much," according to Davon Godchaux and Jabrill Peppers, who spoke to the media about the issue ahead of last week's game. With Maye calling the shots for the offense, it could assure those who might be overcompensating to tone it down and focus more on doing their job instead of trying to do too much and instead making a mistake or falling short.

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