Jerod Mayo changes tune on Patriots QB competition after preseason Week 2

Before selecting Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett to presumably be the starting quarterback this upcoming season. According to Jerod Mayo, that was the plan in place, and it has remained the route the team is taking even in the midst of training camp.

Although it was expected for the veteran to be a bridge quarterback until the rookie was ready to play, there was a belief that Maye might leapfrog Brissett during the summer since he had already moved up the depth chart during spring practices.

While that can still happen, Maye hadn't been all that impressive through one week of training camp, drawing some to be concerned about his readiness for the NFL. When pads were introduced, it was a prime opportunity for him to outshine his veteran teammate, demonstrate exactly why the team drafted him, and potentially throw his name into the mix again for this year's starting role.

It is still a possibility, despite many believing the contrary, which was seemingly put to rest by Mayo after the completion of practices a couple of weeks ago, as he emphasized that Brissett and Maye are in a "true competition" for the starting role, something that had recently seemed like a dream scenario.

"It's a true competition. You know, what I will say is Jacoby is the most pro-ready guy. I don't want to say, 'obviously,' but he's the most pro-ready guy and he shows it on a day-after-day basis.

But it is a competition. I think Jacoby has handled it (well). You know, he's still mentoring these young quarterbacks and at the same time competing against them, and he's a very selfless individual and really helping these guys along, including Drake."

It was good to hear this, but the actions didn't match the words, as Maye only played six snaps in the preseason opener. That changed in Week 2, and his performance might have been impressive enough for the staff to reconsider their seemingly definitive support of Brissett as QB1.

Drake Maye proves to the Patriots he might have what it takes to beat Jacoby Brissett for the starting job

Listening to what Mayo, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf have said all offseason, it seemed almost certain that they were sticking with Brissett under center due to his veteran experience and leadership.

They never ruled out Maye winning the battle, but their assessments of each player continuously favored Brissett. So, hearing Mayo declare it remains an actual competition was an interesting turn of events. Some say he has had a slow training camp and hasn't looked like the electric player he appeared to be throughout his time at UNC.

Others have exclaimed that his strong arm and accuracy prove he's the best quarterback option, even if he's the most inexperienced.

Fortunately, Maye has turned the page with his preseason performance against the Eagles on Thursday, playing the entire second quarter and almost all of the third, as well. His stats might not look all that impressive, recording 6/11 receptions for 47 yards, four carries for 15 yards and a touchdown. However, he showed off the deep throws he became known for in college and brought life to an offense that had otherwise been mostly unexciting.

Mayo was asked about his current thoughts on the starting quarterback situation after Thursday's game, mainly due to the inconsistency of the offensive line, to which the head coach implied there is still a competition happening, and Maye could beat out Brissett.

“For me, we always talk about competition, and that’s at all spots. So even if Drake beats out Jacoby, he earned that role. We don’t really take that into consideration when he’s ready to go. And if he’s better than Jacoby, then he’ll play, he’ll start.”

Perhaps all he needed to see was how the rookie looked in a real NFL game situation, even if it is a watered down version of the regular season, to change his mind about the starting role. It will likely still be a decision that won't be made until it has to be, and it's hard to argue against that.

If Maye outperforms Brissett, it makes sense to make him the starter. Yet at the same time, if the offensive line isn't in order, it's questionable to make that decision and throw a rookie into the fire instead of an experienced veteran.

What ultimately happens will be fascinating to watch.

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