No matter where the blame for the lack of offensive ability falls, the poor performance at that position is the main reason the greatest coach in NFL history is currently out of work.
A couple of months after writing that, the Patriots – as expected – signed Jacoby Brissett as a veteran replacement. A month later, they selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick. Then they added Joe Milton in the sixth round.
When you pick the right year to really struggle in the NFL, you get a chance to find the rarest of players: a true franchise quarterback.
Not a substitute franchise guy. Not a “he can be good if we build around him…” quarterback like Tua or Brock Purdy or Mac Jones. We’re talking about a player who can carry the team on his own. A player who improves his teammates with his presence.
The Patriots picked the right year. And they picked the right player in Maye for a tough situation. Some have said that even a potted plant couldn’t have messed up that third pick. Maye was the obvious choice. I thought otherwise.
I suggested trading down, adding picks, and gathering more talent. I don’t think I was wrong, necessarily. The Patriots still have one of the weakest rosters in the league, and Maye will struggle if they don’t give him some help.
However, I will say that the possibility of having a superstar changes the feel of an otherwise poor team and brings an energy to the locker room that a solid QB prospect or a good offensive lineman probably wouldn’t.
Back to last year’s article and what the Patriots needed…
The right mix of arm strength, mobility, composure, and mental toughness is necessary. Can whoever they bring in – veteran placeholder or first-round pick – handle the pressure, criticism, and physical punishment that will come with playing in New England?
Nailed it. Apparently.
Drake Maye passes off to Rhamondre Stevenson in the 1st halfBright spots and what can help in the long term
Let’s focus on Maye. These are things to be happy about: Significant improvement during the offseason. Smart decision-making while running the offense. Strong arm and accuracy on long passes. Quick decision-making – if he was running, he ran; if he was throwing, he threw it.
Mental toughness in a tough season. Physical toughness shown after taking hits and a willingness to stay in the game or fight for extra yards. Leadership on the field and in media appearances. The impression that he wants to take charge of being a Patriot. He’s not looking to leave.
Milton also showed great improvement during the season. His performance against the Bills in the final game, even though Buffalo sat many of its best players, was much better than the Milton we saw in camp. He wasn’t bad then, just a little raw and prone to making mistakes and being inaccurate. Going 22-for-29 for 241 yards and a touchdown shows he has talent.
Jacoby Brissett, who is likely to leave after being benched for Maye, showed real toughness and played well in a tough situation.
Drake Maye runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the 1st halfThe disappointments and aimless runs
Maye was playing behind the worst offensive line in the league. And, while it’s hard to measure, Maye’s wide receivers seemed to run aimlessly after the snap. Still, Maye threw too many interceptions. He had 10 in 13 starts.
He ranked third in the league for interception rate behind Kirk Cousins and Gardner Minshew. He will need to improve that, and with Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator and an improved offensive line (it can’t be worse…right?), that should happen.
They were better as a group in 2024. It’s a low bar, yes, but they threw for 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions after a 16-touchdown, 21-interception 2023 season.
Maye had 53 “bad throws” according to Pro Football Reference (16.4 percent). In comparison, Mac Jones had 54 in 2023 (15.4 percent) and Bailey Zappe had 41 (20.2 percent).
Maye’s running ability is a real asset, gaining 421 yards on 54 carries (7.8 yards per carry), but he needs to make better decisions about when to stop running and avoid taking unnecessary hits.
Contract details
Maye is still on his rookie deal, so his base salary is relatively low. It’s $960,000 this year. His salary cap hit is $8.327 million, meaning he’s only taking up 2.7 percent of the projected cap. Milton, drafted 190 spots after Maye, will also have a base salary of $960,000, but his cap hit is just $1.05 million.
The Patriots are 27th in the league for QB spending ($9.3 million in 2025 cap space) and will stay low in that ranking for a while. In contrast, the Cowboys will allocate $90 million to the quarterback position.
