Patriots

Jerod Mayo said he can already tell Drake Maye will put in ‘extra work’

"I walked by the quarterback meeting room, he’s just in there by himself, watching film."

Jerod Mayo speaks to the media at a press conference. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

May 20, 2024

Drake Maye’s time in New England is just beginning, but so far, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo has liked what he’s seen.

Mayo, speaking to reporters on Monday, credited Maye for progressing both on and off the field at rookie minicamp.

“You can already tell like he is going to put in that extra work,” Mayo said. “You know, I walked by the quarterback meeting room, he’s just in there by himself, watching film. Those are the things that you want to see. I am excited to see his growth going forward.”

Mayo noted that Maye is learning a new playbook, a new language, his teammates, and the fundamentals the Patriots preach.

“It’s a lot for him, but at the same time, I know he can handle it and I just look forward to seeing him progress,” Mayo told reporters.

"You can already tell he's going to put in that extra work"

Jerod Mayo on the growth he's seen from Drake Maye on and off the field pic.twitter.com/Peo9ogkua5
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) May 20, 2024

Mayo said Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett have a preexisting relationship and are working well together.

He stressed the importance of having a quarterback who has leadership traits, adding that some have that quality naturally and others develop the “muscle.”

While Brissett and Maye are presumably the 1A and 1B options to start Week 1, Mayo made it clear nothing has been decided. He praised Bailey Zappe for being a “true professional” and “a resource” and said Joe Milton III will get reps as well.

Jerod Mayo on how the reps will be split between the quarterbacks during OTAs https://t.co/R689hLsZVJ pic.twitter.com/CnVATk9Rdl
— Tamara Brown (@Imtamarabrown) May 20, 2024

Mayo said all four have a “similar skillset” and will likely stay “around the same rep count” for now – though the specific number of reps could vary on a daily basis.

He added that the quality of the reps is more important than the quantity, noting that all four players “will get opportunities.”

For now, they’ll stick with all four, then they’ll have to pair down the roster eventually.

“From a holistic standpoint, it’s just about progress,” Mayo said. “Today, it won’t be perfect, and I don’t expect them to be perfect, but you want to make sure you see these guys going in the right direction from an execution standpoint.”