Drake Maye Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots fans had a different vision of how this season would unfold under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and rookie quarterback Drake Maye. If there’s one bright side heading into the offseason for the Patriots, it’s that they’re entering the final week of the regular season in possession of the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

Unfortunately, the Pats are going to have to navigate some bad news to get to the draft, according to one prominent NFL insider.

“The (Patriots) list QB Drake Maye (hand) as questionable,” reported NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Friday.

Fans reacted to the tough break on social media.

“don’t bother dressing him! He is the future! and we can get #1 pick too haha,” one Patriots fan wrote on Twitter.

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“If they have ANY brains left in that organization, they will sit Maye for this final game whose only meaning is to secure the #1 overall pick, playing a Bills team’s C-squad,” another fan added.

“They’re going to bench him and go with the backup. No sense in him going off against Buffalo’s 4th string secondary and winning that game,” one fan added.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Patriots decide to trot out Maye on Sunday.

About Qwame Skinner

Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. At Next Impulse, Qwame covers sports with the same enthusiasm he brings to his recreational basketball and softball leagues.