Latest Patriots injury news makes Drake Maye's starting future much more clear

The continued debate about when the Patriots should replace Jacoby Brissett with Drake Maye at quarterback has no end in sight, especially as the team has the potential to keep its losing streak going heading into its first matchup against the Dolphins in Week 5.

It's a conversation that will inevitably pick up after the latest update regarding David Andrews's injury, who has been one of the better players on the offensive line this season.

The group has struggled to protect the quarterback through the first four weeks of the season, with a season-high pressure rate (53.8%) against the 49ers while also averaging 49.6% for the season. That will only worsen with Andrews sidelined, plus big question marks surrounding who will be the starting left tackle, making it easy to keep Maye off the field for the foreseeable future.

It won't be a popular decision, but it feels like the right one.

There's less reason to put Drake Maye under center now with David Andrews done for the year

There is plenty of argument to support the idea that experience is the only way a quarterback can get better in the NFL and that is why Maye should be getting the start soon. He is expected to be the Patriots quarterback of the future, so why not throw him in as soon as you can. right?

The problem with that philosophy is the evidence seen on game day every time Brissett takes the field.

Besides the personal struggles holding Brissett back from being more successful, the offensive line's lack of consistency is a detriment to the offense's potential success. While it might not have been that high to begin with, the lack of adequate protection to keep him upright or to have more than the blink of an eye to process the field and get a throw out won't get any better with Maye on the field.

He's certainly more mobile and has a better arm to make deep throws to keep the ball moving, but that's not all that an offense is, of course. The risk of injury is far higher for an inexperienced player, and we've already seen how hard Brissett is being hit so far, with each one making him get up slower and slower, which seems unnecessary to subject the rookie to.

On top of it all, how many more examples do the Patriots need to prove that starting a rookie before the team is adequately set up to support him does more harm than good for their development?

Besides their own example of Mac Jones, one of the latest examples is that of the Panthers quarterback, Bryce Young. He was taken first overall in the 2023 draft and was benched by the team after just two games this year. It came as a shock, given the draft capital they used on him just one year ago, but their depleted offense made it difficult for the quarterback to thrive in that atmosphere.

It could certainly be argued that Maye is a far more talented player than Young; therefore, the results would likely differ. That could be true, but the sentiment remains the same. There's no reason to throw a rookie into an offense he's not ready for or experienced enough to handle.

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