Even Patriots' rivals don't understand Jerod Mayo's Drake Maye decision

The announcement of who would be the Patriots' starting quarterback for the 2024 season was highly anticipated despite likely already being known. Throughout the offseason, Jacoby Brissett was treated as QB1, receiving all starter reps and continuing to be lamented by the coaching staff as the starter.

While that seemed to be the inevitable decision, Drake Maye's improving performance during the summer riled up fans and created a hope that he could somehow win the quarterback competition, which seemed to be the case.

However, the Patriots ultimately decided to stick with their original plan and keep Brissett under center for Week 1.

It was met with varying reactions, with some feeling it was the best-case scenario given the iffy offensive line and a lack of firepower within the receiving corps, while others believe Maye gives the team the best chance to win and it makes no sense to keep him benched because of it.

Although both reactions are fair, it was almost more important to know what New England's future opponents thought of the decision, especially since some fans and reporters believed it would have been better to keep the quarterback a secret for as long as possible, forcing opposing teams to prepare for both leading up to the game.

Fortunately, Jeff Howe from The Athletic detailed some of what he has heard around the NFL regarding Brissett's latest gig, which might provide some intel into what's to come for their impending difficult schedule.

Patriots' opponents don't seem to care about who was named the starting quarterback

The Patriots might not be a feared team this year, but based on how natural Maye looked during the preseason, it seemed fair to assume that some of the team's future opponents might hope they wouldn't lineup against him since he could provide a better chance to win.

Those teams lucked out, as Brissett was named the starter, which appears not to have made much of a difference in the eyes of teams around the league. According to Howe, the reaction from those he spoke to didn't feel "strongly either way" about who should be the starter for one specific reason.

"There's curiosity among rival teams with the way head coach Jerod Mayo publicly handled the quarterback battle between Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye. But regardless of all that, no one really felt strongly either way over who should have been the Week 1 starter because the offensive line is shaping up to be a potentially insurmountable problem."

It's probably the least surprising thing to hear at this point in the offseason regarding the Patriots, and for the most part, it aligns with how fans feel about the future, too.

The Patriots are in full rebuild mode, and because of that, patience is required. Great teams are not made overnight; finding what works best takes time. That should be the fans' focus, hoping to see improvement from last year and hope for the future. That will be the most essential part of the 2024 season.

It's easier said than done, and it will certainly be that way if the Patriots start out with a losing record, but they have some solid pieces in place to build the future upon, and it looks like it could be bright, which is all fans could ask for.

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