Coach: Patriots’ QB1 still open with Drake Maye’s ‘step forward’

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —  New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said rookie quarterback Drake Maye “definitely took a step forward” in the team’s 14-13 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday and that the competition for the starting job “definitely isn’t over.”

Maye has been the No. 2 option through training camp behind nine-year veteran Jacoby Brissett, who Mayo has said is the team’s most “pro-ready” quarterback. Mayo has left open the possibility that Maye could overtake Brissett if he “lights it up” in practice and games.

After playing one series in the Patriots’ preseason opener last week, Maye played four series Thursday night and finished 6-of-11 for 47 yards with a 4-yard rushing touchdown. The stats would have looked notably different had a third-quarter deep strike — arguably Maye’s best play because of the way he manipulated the pocket — wasn’t dropped by wide receiver Javon Baker.

“Stepping up into pressure, I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays,” Mayo said Friday, adding that a “point of emphasis” to improve is running the entire offensive operation faster.

The Patriots plan to play both Brissett and Maye in their preseason finale against the Washington Commanders on Aug. 25.

“I think the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to jell, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Mayo said.

The Patriots signed Brissett to a one-year, $8 million contract as a free agent in March and immediately named him the starter. Brissett has started 48 career NFL games, and the Patriots saw value in his background in offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s system from spending the 2022 season with the Cleveland Browns as well as his mentorship to a rookie quarterback like Maye.

Brissett played three series Thursday night and finished 3-of-7 for 17 yards, which included a costly end zone interception. In the preseason opener last week, he played one series and was 0-for-3.

“We have three more days of training camp practices, and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate and the competition isn’t over. They have to show not only themselves and the coaches [but] also their teammates,” Mayo said.