Mayo: Pats giving QB Maye 30% of 1st-team reps

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo mentioned Friday that the crew is giving rookie quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 decide within the draft, considerably extra apply repetitions with the highest offense than a backup would usually obtain.

Mayo confirmed that Maye is getting 30% of the first-team snaps behind veteran starter Jacoby Brissett.

“It is not a secret, we’ve got a quarterback within the wings that should proceed to develop. Usually, the starter will get, for instance, 95% of the reps. It is a little bit totally different,” Mayo mentioned. “I suppose the wrestle is, ‘How do you get your beginning quarterback ready for the sport and in addition proceed to develop the man within the background, which is Drake?’ And so it is sort of a 70-30 cut up.”

The CBS broadcast of the Patriots’ season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals first famous the distinctive association with Maye, which Mayo expounded upon for the primary time Friday.

“We had been very considerate. After we talked about having a developmental plan for Drake, that is a part of it,” Mayo mentioned. “I’ve tried to not get too deep into what that plan truly appears like, however he nonetheless takes reps with the starters and does an excellent job on the [scout] crew as nicely. He is doing an excellent job, and you’ll see his confidence persevering with to develop.”

Maye, who turned 22 on Aug. 30, made 26 begins throughout his school profession on the College of North Carolina. That was a decrease whole than different quarterbacks chosen within the first spherical, together with prime total decide Caleb Williams (33) of the Chicago Bears, No. 2 choice Jayden Daniels (55) of the Washington Commanders and No. 12 decide Bo Nix (61) of the Denver Broncos — all of whom began for his or her NFL groups in Week 1.

Maye had made a cost for the Patriots’ beginning job over the ultimate two weeks of coaching camp and preseason, based on Mayo. However the totality of Brissett’s work and his expertise in offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s system had been among the many prime elements Mayo cited within the crew sticking with Brissett.

Mayo praised Brissett’s dealing with of the 70-30 cut up of reps in apply.

“From day one, I’ve at all times mentioned he is a real skilled. I’ve at all times mentioned he is an excellent mentor, not just for Drake but in addition for [rookie Joe] Milton,” Mayo mentioned. “He is received video games on this league, and he understands we drafted Drake because the No. 3 decide within the draft; searching the entrance windshield, in some unspecified time in the future in time — I do not know when that point will come — [Maye] should go on the market and play.”

Maye’s locker is instantly subsequent to Brissett’s within the locker room, which is similar spot Brissett had in 2016 when he was subsequent to Tom Brady. Brissett has mentioned he hopes to be the identical kind of mentor to Maye that Brady was to him, which Mayo credited.

“Simply seeing the connection within the quarterback room has been particular for me,” Mayo mentioned. “It is extremely onerous, while you speak about checking your ego on the door; Jacoby is a type of guys who desires to do what’s finest for the crew.”

Brissett was 15-of-24 for 121 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions within the Patriots’ 16-10 season-opening win over the Bengals. He additionally rushed for 32 yards on seven carries because the crew totaled 170 speeding yards in a run-first plan.

Van Pelt famous that Brissett “performed inside himself” and “for probably the most half put us in place to win the sport; he knew how we had been going to win and performed to that.”

Van Pelt additionally mentioned Maye is profiting from each alternative to be taught from Brissett — within the assembly room and on the sector — and relayed that “he is doing nice” so far.

Maye instructed ESPN that he is ready as if he is the starter, which is the mentality a backup ought to have, and has benefited from having an earpiece in on the sideline throughout video games.

“I am enjoying the sport from the sideline,” Maye defined. “You clearly do not have the identical view, however on the identical time, I’ve nonetheless studied all through the week and also you type of count on the appears and it is ‘That is what we had been pondering.’ More often than not all through, I knew the place Jacoby was going with the soccer earlier than it occurred. Simply attempting to play the sport and, on the identical time, assist Jacoby with something he wants.”

The Patriots (1-0) host the Seattle Seahawks (1-0) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox).