Former QB Rips Patriots for Drake Maye Decision

A former NFL quarterback does not think the New England Patriots are making the right move by making Drake Maye their starter.

Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) warms up before the start of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots finally decided to make the move, benching Jacoby Brissett in favor of Drake Maye at quarterback.

While some Patriots fans have been itching to see Maye under center, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky does not think this will end well in New England.

During a recent episode of ESPN's NFL Live, Orlovsky didn't seem to agree with the Pats' decision.

"This is a bad decision in New England," Orlovsky said. "One, their offensive line is the worst pass-blocking line in the NFL. ... You want to take a rookie quarterback and set him up to struggle? Put him behind this New England offensive line."

Orlovsky then went on to say that the Pats have one of the worst groups of wide receivers in football, particularly when it comes to getting open.

He also questions the Patriots' play-calling.

"You want to take a rookie quarterback and set him up to struggle? Put him behind this New England Patriots offensive line."@danorlovsky7 on the Pats' decision to start Drake Maye this early in the season 😳 pic.twitter.com/JoWAb4xtcr

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 8, 2024

Essentially, Orlovsky feels that New England is setting Maye up for failure, and others may be inclined to agree.

In his five starts, Brissett threw for 696 yards, a couple of touchdowns and an interception while completing 58.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 74.2. That isn't good no matter how you slice it, but he has also been sacked 17 times and has been under constant duress.

Plus, as Orlovsky specified, it's not exactly like Brissett had elite weaponry at his disposal.

Perhaps Maye will be able to squeeze more out of this situation than Brissett, but it's going to be very difficult. At best, this will prove to be a great test for Maye and will build plenty of character for the rookie moving forward. But on the flip side, this could leave Maye shellshocked.

Hopefully, it's the former.

Maye will make his debut as a starter against the Houston Texans this Sunday.

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