Typically, when a team selects a quarterback with one of the first three picks in the draft, it’s expected that the player will be ready to play during his rookie season. That’s the expectation for new Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who has already been named the starter, as well as Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels. But that doesn’t appear to be how things are looking for Drake Maye.
Earlier this month, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo raised some eyebrows when he said that Drake Maye “had a lot to work on” before he was ready to play. And during an appearance on Up & Adams on Tuesday, New England executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf certainly didn’t do much to quiet concerns about how he has looked so far.
Wolf made it clear that Maye still has “a long way to go” before he’s ready to start for the team.
“I think those will be some important conversations for us to have,” Wolf said. “Right now, it’s Jacoby Brissett. He’s taking the first reps, and we’re excited about what he’s shown not only off the field but on the field with his throwing ability.
Who's making the decision on when rookie QB Drake Maye is READY to start?@Patriots VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf says it'll be a "collaborative" approach with him and HC Jerod Mayo… 👀🔊@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/d39vVnYozr
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 28, 2024
“Drake Maye — let’s be honest, we’ve had him for three weeks now. There’s a long way to go for all of our rookies and all of our players as we adapt to this new scheme that coach [offensive coordinator Alex] Van Pelt is implementing offensively.”
Obviously, these comments don’t necessarily mean that Maye will have a poor NFL career by any means, but fans who reasonably expected him to be the starting quarterback immediately will likely be a little bit concerned about these comments from Wolf and Mayo.
