Patriots HC Shows Extreme Confidence in Drake Maye

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo dropped a bold comment about rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) stands in the bench area during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Ahead of this week's New England Patriots' game against the Houston Texans, head coach Jerod Mayo made the decision to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

It was a move that has been needed for a few weeks. Jacoby Brissett has had an awful first five games and it was clear that the offense needed more. They are hoping that Maye can give them just that.

Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, showed major signs of big-time potential during the preseason. He flashed very good arm talent and should be an upgrade at quarterback over Brissett right off the bat.

With that in mind, Mayo spoke out about Maye in today's press conference and dropped a bold quote ahead of his Week 6 debut.

"I think Drake [Maye] is going to make us a better football team today and moving forward," he said.

Despite concerns about the offensive line's ability to protect Maye, Mayo made it clear that there is no perfect time to throw a rookie quarterback out on the field.

"There's never a perfect time to make a change. Every defense ... has the ability to rush and get after the quarterback," Mayo said.

He is 100 percent right. They could have waited the entire season before playing Maye and even then it wouldn't be a perfect scenario. Letting the rookie play was the right decision.

Granted, this isn't a move that is going to fix the Patriots. They aren't going to magically be a playoff contender with Maye leading the way.

However, New England has a chance to develop their young quarterback and get him ready for next season and the years to come. That is an opportunity that they had to take advantage of as soon as possible.

Hopefully, the offensive line can take a step forward. Maye getting hurt would be devastating to the future of the Patriots. He'll need to play smart, get rid of the football, and get down when needed.

That being said, it's the start of a new era and the move has brought a lot of excitement to New England. It will be interesting to see how the youngster looks in his first start this weekend.

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