Patriots' Jerod Mayo Hints Drake Maye Will Get 'More Reps' vs. Eagles

The New England Patriots head coach expressed some plans for his rookie quarterback next week.

August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

As the New England Patriots embarked on their first preseason game of the year on Thursday, head coach Jerod Mayo opted to take an unconventional approach when it came to splitting the reps of his four quarterbacks on the roster.

With all eyes ready to watch third-overall pick Drake Maye's debut in his first NFL contest vs. the Carolina Panthers, Mayo poured some cold water on the hype train for his rookie QB. The UNC product was in the fold for one drive before being quickly pulled out for Bailey Zappe in the first quarter. Many expected to see Maye with the lion's share of playing time in his debut, yet it didn't come to fruition.

Mayo later described in his post-game presser that it was "always the plan" to let Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett get their feet wet for one drive before being pulled out, even if it might've not been the most popular decision in the eyes of fans.

However, the Patriots head coach has now provided some positive news for what to expect from his first-round pick moving forward, mentioning a larger role to be in play for Maye as we approach their next preseason game.

When speaking to the media on Friday after the Patriots' preseason win, Coach Mayo explained that Maye will likely see some more playing time during New England's game next Thursday vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, than he did in his first opportunity against the Panthers:

"Yeah, I mean, those things are always under consideration. I would also say during practice, he gets a lot of reps. Then going into the Eagles week, this honestly is a huge week for everyone to practice against the Eagles, and then really we'll see how the reps kind of break down in the game. But I expect Drake [Maye] to get more reps than he did in the first game against the Eagles."

- Jerod Mayo on Drake Maye

Maye entered the game against the Panthers after the first drive from Brissett, where he completed two of his three passes for 19 yards-- albeit those gains came from screen passes. With a better opportunity to get on the field next week though, we could expect to see a much better array of the third-overall pick's skillset.

QB Drake Maye's first career completion for the Patriots

.@DrakeMaye2 to Gibson to move the chains ⛓️

📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/FvfkqDAJNi

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 8, 2024

Whether we see Maye's snaps increase from one to two drives, or see his time under center extend past a quarter remains to be seen. Yet, Mayo's willingness to indicate more chances toward his rookie quarterback is a positive sign that there's much more to come compared to what went down on Thursday night.

As the Patriots take on the next week of training camp, they're also scheduled for a joint practice with Philadelphia on August 16th, which could prepare Maye a bit better for what to expect when the real game arrives.

The Eagles will come to town to face off against New England on Thursday, August 15th, where fans should expect to see way more of the Patriots' prized rookie.

---

Follow New England Patriots On SI over on our Facebook and Twitter/X to stay up to date on all Patriots news and rumors!