Latest rumor reveals Patriots' plan for Drake Maye in 2024

Although Jerod Mayo will insist the Patriots still haven't decided who the starting quarterback will be, claiming it's still a competition despite one player outperforming the other, it seems pretty clear that the initial decision will remain the plan for the season ahead; Jacoby Brissett will start Week 1.

That was why he was signed in free agency, and based on the coaching staff's reluctance to put Drake Maye on the field, Brissett will continue to mentor the rookie for the foreseeable future, however long that might be.

Most have assumed that because New England isn't expected to win many games this year, Brissett will play half the season or a bit longer, and Maye will eventually take over, perhaps when they're out of contention. Others believe the rookie gives them the best chance of winning some games, so he should start sooner than expected.

Either scenario is possible, and we haven't heard anything to suggest otherwise besides the team's apparent hesitation to start a rookie too soon in hopes of avoiding another Mac Jones situation.

However, the latest rumor suggests that mindset might change after seeing how well Maye performed during the preseason, mainly since he played far better than Brissett.

Rumor says the Patriots are planning on Drake Maye playing during his rookie season

Because Jerod Mayo was on the Patriots coaching staff during the Mac Jones era and witnessed the highs and the incredibly low lows of the young quarterback's New England tenure, it's understandable why he might be concerned with throwing Maye into the game potentially sooner than he should be.

Despite the UNC alum looking to have a better natural skillset and athleticism than the team's former quarterback, there is a lot of pressure on the new regime to have made the right decision with the quarterback they chose, so risking possibly ruining his confidence or injury will be of the utmost concern for the new coaching staff.

Regardless of those worries, Boston Herald reporter Doug Kyed shared what he's heard about the Patriots' intentions with Maye during his rookie season.

Although Mayo has seemingly implied there was no chance for him to start this year, the current rumor states, "It's a matter of when, not if, he takes over."

Speculation has suggested this could be an outcome given how Maye has performed, and it would seem foolish to keep him sidelined for the entirety of the season, so it's not exactly a surprise to hear they might follow through with it.

But what makes it far more interesting is the timeline of when it could happen.

If Brissett struggles early and the Patriots start the season 0-4 or 1-3, for example, is that when they would put Maye in? Or do they have to be in a bigger hole than a losing record through the first month of the season?

It will inevitably become the hottest topic in New England until it happens, even more so if Brissett can't win some games. But it will also be worth watching how the offensive line performs because if they're still struggling, it would be risky to put a rookie out there and hope he can navigate through their shortcomings.

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