Patriots Daily: Jerod Mayo Says Starting QB Competition Isn’t Over

Ten days ago on Patriots Football Now, I wrote an article asking if Jerod Mayo handled the New England Patriots starting quarterback decision properly. My concern was not that Jacoby Brissett would be the starter. Rather, I questioned whether Mayo made the right decision to declare the starting job an open competition if his actual plan was to start Brissett regardless.

The problem, as I saw it, was twofold. If Drake Maye outplayed Jacoby Brissett in the preseason, as happened last night, it would create a problem. Fans and media would call for Maye to start. If (and again, I use the word if) the plan was to start Brissett regardless, this opened up both Jerod Mayo and Jacoby Brissett up to avoidable criticism.

The second issue was unfair scrutiny of the Patriots rookie quarterback. Maye practiced behind reserve linemen and threw to reserve receivers in practice, but reports about his performance had some ready to throw in the towel on his NFL career after a handful of practices in pads. The response was ridiculous, but not unexpected given the desire for hot takes and attention by some.

Also Read – Should Mayo Have Announced Patriots Starting QB Before Camp?

Jerod Mayo was asked this morning if Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye were still competing to be the team’s starting quarterback.

“The competition isn’t over,” declared Mayo. “It’s definitely still a competition.”

Taking Mayo at his word, there is no issue with having an open competition. I believe Ernie Adams was right. He said Drake Maye should start whenever he’s ready. The decision of when Maye, the obvious future of the franchise, should start for the Patriots should be based on what is best for his development, regardless of how Jacoby Brissett performs. But with a competition still open this late in camp, it would be nice to see Drake Maye get more reps with the first unit to see what he can do.  Will that happen over the next few weeks? Stay tuned.

Also in Friday’s Patriots Daily:

Patriots Fact of the Day

New England Patriots records for a rookie quarterback:

Wins – Mac Jones, 2021 (10)
Completion Percentage – Mac Jones, 2021 (67.6%)
Passing Yards – Mac Jones, 2021 (3,801)
Passing Touchdowns – Butch Songin, 1960 and Mac Jones, 2021 (22)
Interceptions – Steve Grogan, 1975 (18)
Times Sacked – Jim Plunkett, 1971 (36)

Post of the Day

Drake Maye scores his first NFL (preseason) touchdown as a member of the New England Patriots:

First @NFL TD 👏@DrakeMaye2 | #NEPats

📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/rDzGw6MwtI

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 16, 2024

Eight Takeaways From the Patriots 14-13 Loss to the Eagles – Maye looked good, while Brissett struggled. Jeremy Springer’s special teams unit excelled. The pass rush looked great, even without Matthew Judon. Three stars of the game, and more.

Updated New England Patriots 2025 NFL Draft Picks – The Patriots acquired the Falcons’ third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for Judon. They now have nine picks in next year’s draft. A look at where they are currently scheduled to select.

Patriots 90-Man Roster Spotlight: Mike Onwenu – Onwenu has played right tackle, right guard, left guard, and even tight end in jumbo packages during his NFL career. He signed a three-year deal to remain in New England this offseason. Where is the lineman most helpful to New England along the line in 2024 and beyond?

NFL Coverage

NFL.com – Gregg Rosenthal gives his Top 50 NFL Free Agents for 2025. Of particular interest to the New England Patriots might be the 10 wide receivers on the list. There are also seven offensive tackles listed. No New England Patriots are on the list, thanks to the offseason extensions handed out by Eliot Wolf.

Steelers Now – Alan Saunders writes about the takeaways from the joint practice between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills. The Steelers running game looks to be a team strength in 2024. Both Russell Wilson and Josh Allen looked impressive as their respective teams’ starting quarterbacks.

Yahoo! Sports – A days after trading for Matthew Judon, the Atlanta Falcons continued to add to their defense. The team signed free agent safety Justin Simmons. Arguably the top unsigned player on the market, Simmons played collegiately for Boston College before going on to start for the Denver Broncos.

Boston Bruins

Boston Hockey Now – The Boston Bruins are in a down period. The NHL Draft and the first wave of free agency have passed. Training camp has yet to arrive. But plenty is happening, from new uniform numbers to trade rumors, and BHN has it covered.

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