Patriots

Here’s what experts had to say about Drake Maye’s first Patriots OTA session

Monday's OTAs were the first time all four of New England's quarterbacks took to the practice field together.

By Faith Pinnow

May 21, 2024

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The Patriots kicked off Phase Three of their offseason program Monday as players swarmed the backfields of Gillette Stadium for the first of ten organized team activities (OTAs). 

The practices, which prohibit live contact, consist of mostly 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills.  And while the voluntary practice was well-attended by rookies and returners alike, all eyes were on New England’s quarterbacks. 

Monday marked the first time all four signal-callers – veteran Jacoby Brissett, first-round pick Drake Maye, sixth-round pick Joe Milton III, and third-year backup Bailey Zappe – took to the field together. It also started the countdown clock on the inevitable roster cuts to come. 

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo intends to start trimming down the quarterback list when training camp rolls around in August. Until then, however, he said it’s a fair fight. 

“Once we get to training camp, that’s real football,” Mayo said. “So out here in the spring, we’ll rock with four [quarterbacks]. But, as soon as we get to training camp, you have to start paring down the roster.”

Day one of OTAs was also the perfect opportunity to assess Maye’s progress throughout the first two phases of the offseason. Here’s what analysts had to say about the rookie QB’s performance.

Third in line

While Maye’s arrival in New England was highly-anticipated, the rookie QB still has to earn his stripes. The former Tar Heel threw third in line behind Brissett and Zappe, with Milton bringing up the rear. 

ESPN’s Mike Reiss described the pecking order as a “walk before you run type deal,” with Maye taking just three reps in the initial 11-on-11 drill Monday.  

Later in practice, Van Pelt and quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo split the quarterbacks into two groups. Maye and Brissett paired up for offensive reps, with the veteran helping the rookie with routes on the sideline. 

“Drake Maye would watch Jacoby Brissett run a drill and then he would go in and do the same play himself,” Reiss said. “So they set it up where he can watch Jacoby Brissett and then execute what he just saw.”

Footwork First

“If you didn’t know that Drake Maye had a footwork problem and showed up at today’s practice, you probably – unless you’re an expert on quarterback footwork – wouldn’t have said, ‘Wow that guy doesn’t know where to stand,’” NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran said Monday night on his “Patriots Talk Podcast.” 

The 21-year-old’s footwork has been a major talking point since before New England drafted him. According to his former UNC football coach, Mack Brown, footwork was one of Maye’s focuses ahead of the 2023 season. Bouncing on his feet and fading away from throws contributed to sloppy pocket-play, but Curran thinks, he’s already making strides of improvement.

“They were drilling and doing drops and footwork drills for 20 minutes and he had one stumble,” Curran said. “It’s not the disaster we think.” 

In-between the snaps

There’s a lot for Maye to learn this offseason – NFL defenses, Van Pelt’s playbook, his new receivers – and he seems to be vigilant about making sure he’s up to speed. In between drills on Monday, Maye frequently checked in with McAdoo, Van Pelt, and Mayo. 

“When you’re physically talented the way he is and he’s someone who clearly cares about getting better, that’s a good recipe,” NBC Sports Boston’s Phil A. Perry told Curran on his podcast. 

Last to leave

Maye and his two rookie wide receivers – Javon Baker and Ja’Lynn Polk – were the last to leave the practice field Monday afternoon. The hopeful future of the Patriots’ offense spent extra time running routes independently.

“You can already tell he’s going to put in that extra work,” said Mayo. “I walk by the quarterback meeting room, he’s just in there by himself watching film. Those are the things that you want to see.”