Drake Maye Is Patriots QB2 Behind Jacoby Brissett on Patriots' Unofficial Depth Chart
August 8, 2024
On the same day as their preseason opener, the New England Patriots have released their first unofficial depth chart with Drake Maye listed as the backup quarterback.
Head coach Jerod Mayo's unofficial depth chart lists Jacoby Brissett as the starter, with Maye second on the depth chart ahead of Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton III.
The Patriots said throughout the offseason that Brissett will be QB1, but Maye will have an opportunity to work with the first-team offense.
Eliot Wolf, New England's executive vice president of player personnel, said on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on May 28 that Brissett is the starter "right now" and that any decision about Maye eventually taking over would be a "collaborative" effort with Mayo.
Up & Adams @UpAndAdamsShowWho's making the decision on when rookie QB Drake Maye is READY to start?<a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Patriots</a> VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf says it'll be a "collaborative" approach with him and HC Jerod Mayo... 👀🔊<a href="https://twitter.com/heykayadams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@heykayadams</a> <a href="https://t.co/d39vVnYozr">pic.twitter.com/d39vVnYozr</a>
The Patriots were giving Brissett all of the reps with the first-team offense through the first week of training camp. Mayo told reporters on Aug. 1 that Maye would eventually get to work with that group as they "mix and match" quarterbacks.
Kayla Burton @Kay_Breezy22Since the start of camp, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Patriots?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Patriots</a> QB Jacoby Brissett has been taking all the 1s reps. <br><br>Today, Jerod Mayo clarified Drake Maye will have an opportunity to practice with the 1s … <br><br> "we're gonna mix and match."
Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston noted during Monday's full-pads practice that Maye received 21 competitive snaps working with the second unit during the 11-on-11 period.
While there are no official stats kept during practices, Perry tracked Maye as going 4-of-7 and being sacked four times in his 21 snaps.
Maye was ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 draft class by B/R's NFL scouting department. There were a lot of question marks about his NFL-readiness leading up to the draft.
One NFC scout told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Maye was "going to a be a big project because he's just not naturally accurate."
The Patriots used the No. 3 overall pick to select Maye. They signed Brissett as a free agent to give them a bridge quarterback if the 21-year-old wasn't ready to start when the regular season began.
Thursday night will be the first time for Maye to get live reps in a game setting. The Patriots will host the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium at 7 p.m. ET.