ESPN Drops Bold Prediction for Results of Patriots' QB Competition

The New England Patriots QB battle is up in the air one month away from the season.

Jul 26, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (14) throws a pass during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

As we stand a month away from the debut regular season game for the New England Patriots, the verdict is still out as to who will line up as the starting quarterback of this team for week one of the new year.

Jacoby Brissett enters the fold with the early lead, as mentioned by head coach Jerod Mayo, but third-overall pick Drake Maye looms behind him as a contender for the job with strong performances in training camp in preseason. If you're Colin Cowherd, Joe Milton III could have a chance at being New England's QB1, though that may be a bit of a long shot.

Through the early motions of the Patriots' season, we've already seen a handful of early guesses as to who will be the guy under center for this roster, and ESPN falls as the latest to enter the discussion on New England's QB1 dilemma.

When dropping his projections for the Patriots' quarterback battle, ESPN reporter Dan Graziano pinned Brissett to be New England's QB1, and it could be a decision that lasts for a "majority" of the team's games in 2024 rather than Maye:

"Maye was the third overall pick in this year's draft and will be the starter eventually. But he's still 21 years old and was viewed by many in the pre-draft process as a raw prospect who'd need time to develop. He has made some breathtaking throws in the offseason that remind you why he was picked where he was picked, but New England is a rebuilding team that believes it can give Maye as much time as he needs... Week 1 prediction: Brissett will start and may even start the majority of the Patriots' games in 2024 while Maye gets up to speed."

- Dan Graziano, ESPN

While it may come to many fans' disappointment to see their rookie quarterback held out of a majority of this year's games, it could come to the benefit of his and this team's long-term growth. If Maye proves to be a player who needs a few extra weeks of learning and development, it's a much better alternative to have him sit back behind Brissett than being thrown into the fire ill-prepared.

The Patriots aren't in any rush to get this rebuild accelerated either. With a first-year head coach, fresh staff, and a roster in the middle of a necessary refresh, it could still take two to three seasons to get this team to a serious playoff contender.

Patience is necessary in any franchise's climb to the top, and New England is no exception. With the right steps during preseason and camp, Maye can get the keys earlier than ESPN's expectations, but the results of that possibility remain up in the air.

The first shot for New England's first-round quarterback to make an impression in preseason sits next Thursday in Foxboro when Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers come to town on August 8th.

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