There’s No Need to Rush Drake Maye’s NFL Debut

With an inexperienced offensive line, New England would be wise to let its rookie quarterback sit to start the season. Plus, why Matthew Judon preferred Atlanta over Chicago and more in Albert Breer’s mailbag.

Drake Maye is expected to start his rookie season as the backup for the New England Patriots. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL’s 2024 regular season is eight days away. You had mail. I answered it …

From Nick Montecalvo (@nickokick230): Would it be incompetent of the new regime in New England to start Drake Maye?

Nick, Maye was drafted by the Patriots without having much, if any, footwork training at North Carolina that translated to the NFL game. It wasn’t the worst thing, because it’s easier to build off no habits than bad habits. Still, there’s no question that the biggest threat to his progress, and there’s been a lot, is that when he’s under duress, he reverts to his old habits.

That’s why, if I’m New England, I don’t start Maye behind that offensive line until I’m sure he has the 10,000 reps he needs for what he’s learned to become permanent. I think the best-case scenario is to let him grow into an NFL body, so to speak, first.

And while that’s happening, he’ll get the benefit Jordan Love did in Green Bay, watching a veteran quarterback go through the ups and downs of the season, while he’s learning what it takes to make it in the league.

There’s no need to rush anything, though the Patriots will have to manage the rest of the team on this one since surely some players think Maye gives them the best chance to win now.

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From Jay Cutler's Lighter (@JCutlerslighter): Why did Matthew Judon prefer Atlanta over Chicago? Judon is playing on the same contract with Atlanta that he had with NE this year?

Jay, I’d say a couple things were at work here. First, there was the fact that Judon did feel a little disrespected in New England, and that contract talks hadn’t progressed as he’d have liked—there was an offer on the table from the Patriots, but there wasn’t much movement once camp started, at which point things started to sour between he and the team. And they weren’t perfect to begin with.

He’s also turning 32, and looking at his future. He really liked the idea of going to Chicago. But based on preliminary contract talks with the Bears, it seemed as if their cash-and-cap situation going forward, based on all the commitments they’d already made for 2025, would make this a one-year rental situation. While all of that was happening, Falcons coach Raheem Morris got on the phone with Judon and did a fantastic job selling him on his scheme, the team, and his plan for the star rusher.

Bottom line: Judon could see an extended future in Atlanta. It was harder to see that in Chicago, as good as the one year there might’ve been.

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From John Hurwitz (@newnail4): For the players who land on waivers tomorrow morning, does the order for team claims start fresh with each player or does the team goes to the back of the line after taking its first choice?

No, John, and it’s probably worth giving everyone a refresher now, with the waiver wire packed with so many names (I think one of the most impressive things personnel staffs do every year is make it through all of those guys, only to maybe get one player that could wind up on your active roster).

The waiver wire order is the same as the given order for the NFL draft. The team with the worst overall record has the first pick, so the Carolina Panthers are first, the Washington Commanders are second, the Patriots are third and so on. Over the 24 hours that a player is on waivers, each team can put in a claim. The team with the highest priority claim gets the player. That means that if five teams put in a claim, and New England is one of them, but Washington and Carolina aren’t, the Patriots get the player.

That process repeats for every player on the wire, and that’s why teams have to be careful with the number of claims they put in—because once you’re awarded a player, you have to take him, and cut someone on your team (assuming you’re at the limit) to make room. Also, only nonvested players, guys with less than four credited years of service, go on waivers at this time of year. After the trade deadline, all players are subject to waivers.

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From Major Hawk (@MajorHawk1962): How do you think the Haason Reddick drama plays out?

Hawk, my guess would be that he reports early next week, and the New York Jets do something to help him save face—because it would look really bad if he showed up with no sweetner on his deal after accumulating over $2 million in fines. Maybe a package of incentives tied to team success (so he’s not just hunting sacks) would get him close to $20 million for the year.

Reddick requested a trade from the Jets earlier this month after getting traded to New York in April. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

I think part of the problem is that Reddick never got that big second contract. He was miscast off the ball in his early years in Arizona. By the time the Cardinals decided to play him more consistently as a rusher, the team had declined his fifth-year option, so he’s bounced around a bunch since. Even though he’s made really good money (around $50 million for his career), the fact that he never got the big edge rusher contract has him in a spot where, like other players like him, he’s trying to get paid as much as he can as he approaches 30.

For that reason, I think doing something in good faith and tying it into team performance, as well as individual numbers, probably makes the most sense for everyone, short of the Jets coming around with some sort of monster long-term commitment.

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From Dan Torino (@DanTorinoGT01): Do you see the Commanders making any trades before the deadline?

Dan, I think any moves would probably be minor ones. Dan Quinn’s a Pete Carroll guy, and so he saw how the early-era Seattle Seahawks benefitted from relentlessly working waivers to churn their roster and try to find the best 53. On that sort of thing, yes, I could see Quinn and GM Adam Peters working the team over a bit.

But outside of a deal for Brandon Aiyuk, which I don’t think is likely, Washington isn’t in position to aggressively add players. And as for trading veterans for draft picks like they did with Chase Young and Montez Sweat last year, I just don’t know who they’d be willing to listen on that’d have value to another team. Jonathan Allen’s 29, so maybe Washington would take calls on him near the deadline. If rusher Dante Fowler or corner Michael Davis play well, they could create some interest for themselves, and the Commanders, too.

I wouldn’t expect fireworks, though, if that’s what you’re looking for.

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From LIONSBLOOD20 (@BK_SHAKY): Thoughts on Detroit's thin WR room?

Lions Blood, I could see Detroit adding a body or two. They had high hopes that Daurice Fountain could be a nice complement to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, before Fountain fizzled a couple of weeks into camp. Donovan Peoples-Jones was given ample opportunity to earn a real role, too, and didn’t quite seize it. Both of those guys are gone as a result, and so behind Williams, St. Brown and Kalif Raymond, there are a fair amount of questions that’ll need to be answered.

Stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed on health.

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From SidneyCup: Hockey God Genius (Jeff) (@Jeffs_Penguins): When are the Steelers getting a WR & who?

Jeff, if it’s not Aiyuk, I’m not sure who it’d be.

Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be better, but are still alright at the position. George Pickens is certainly physically capable of being a real No. 1. Van Jefferson’s an experienced, reliable complementary part who caught 50 balls for a Super Bowl championship team. Roman Wilson’s been slowed with an ankle injury, but showed plenty of ability, and should be a contributor at some point. Plus, they have Pat Freiermuth at tight end.

Aiyuk has generated interest from a handful of teams around the league as he searches for a lucrative contract extension. / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

The other thing is that even on Aiyuk, the Steelers were willing to part with a package that included second- and third-round picks, but were unwilling to move a current player such as Pickens or a Freiermuth as part of the deal. So they don’t see these guys as fungible parts.

We’ll see if there’s another opportunity for Pittsburgh down the line closer to the Nov. 5 deadline.

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From Zarelli (@Zarelli): How’s the league feeling about the new kickoffs? Stay or go for next year?

Zarelli, I’d say the prevailing thought is … we’ll see.

That’s why, to me, teams are toying with the idea of just kicking the ball into the end zone, and letting the opposing offense start at the 30. There’s enough unknown—one head coach told me it’s the most drastic on-field change he’s experienced in all of his time in the NFL—to make the best play, as some teams see it, to give away the extra five yards, and just study what other teams are doing.

So if they’re still left guessing what this is going to look like, I don’t think the rest of us should talk in absolutes on whether this change is going to remain in place for 2025.

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From (Ryan Cox) (@MrRyanCox): Looking ahead to the next hiring cycle, who are some of the up and coming HC/GM candidates that aren't household names but are highly regarded in league circles?

Ryan, on the head coach side, leading the list of candidates would be Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. New Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady, Indianapolis Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter, Minnesota Vikings DC Brian Flores, Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowik, Cincinnati Bengals DC Lou Anarumo, Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore and New York Giants OC Mike Kafka should also merit a look based on how their years go.

As for GM candidates, to me, there are two on the scouting side that should be GMs already, that have rings, that have been ready for a while—Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi and Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek. Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham’s been knocking on the door as well, and has a great pedigree. And Dallas Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay has had his opportunities, and may be closer to really considering a move now. On the operations side, Tampa’s Mike Greenberg and Philly’s Alec Halaby are worth watching, too.

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From Lennon theus (@broncolen30): What team do you think Jarrett Stidham could actually start for in this league?

Lennon, that’s a really good question. I think he could compete with the guys in Tennessee, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, or be an effective placeholder for a first-round pick in New England or Minnesota. But I don’t think there’s a team where I’d say, yes, he’d be the guy there.

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From AMNFL_Andy (@AMNfl_Andy): With CeeDee getting extended, what is your confidence Dak gets extended next?

I’d say it’s a seven out of 10? I don’t know. These things usually get done. I don’t think Dallas wants to go to $60 million per year to keep him, and Dak Prescott’s agent, Todd France, is a bulldog of a negotiator. But the mere idea of what might be behind Door No. 2 if the Cowboys let Prescott go into a walk year (it’ll be impossible to tag him in 2025) isn’t an easy one for the Cowboys to reckon with.

So, yeah, my guess would be something gets done.