Patriots Daily: Mayo Says, “We’re Going to Play the Best Players”

The main questions many had after last night’s New England Patriots preseason finale were about the quarterback position. Would Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye start in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals? And is it safe to put either player behind the Patriots’ offensive line? Head coach Jerod Mayo was asked about this following the game.

“Would the line’s performance impact your decision on when to play Drake (Maye)?” came the question.

Mayo responded, “The best players are going to play. No matter if it’s a quarterback or an offensive lineman, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to play the best players.”

To his credit, Mayo has been consistent with this throughout the offseason. He has stated that Drake Maye would become the Patriots’ starting quarterback when he’s better than Jacoby Brissett. The problem is that Mayo’s message has been consistent but might not correspond to the final decision. It is difficult to believe that this was an open competition for the starting quarterback role up until last night’s game, only to make the decision that Brissett won the job.

Furthermore, it is a legitimate concern for both the health and confidence of a rookie quarterback to play behind a line seemingly incapable of protecting him. But if that is going to be a factor, what happens if Brissett gets hurt? Does Bailey Zappe or Joe Milton III become New England’s starter to protect Maye? And how do you convince the rest of the roster that the best quarterback is not playing, but expect them to all go out and play hard when winning would not appear to be a priority?

Like Jerod Mayo, I have also been consistent in what I’ve said throughout this offseason. I do not believe there was ever an open competition at quarterback. I thought the plan was to start Jacoby Brissett in Week 1. Mayo’s commitment to stating there was an open competition for the job has confused me and caused credibility issues for the coach if he now names Brissett his QB1 based on what everyone has seen.

So if Mayo told the truth last night saying that the best players will play, soon we’ll know who Mayo believes the best players are, assuming he told the truth. Stay tuned.

Also in Monday’s Patriots Daily:

Patriots Fact of the Day

Jacoby Brissett will be 31 years and 272 days old when the New England Patriots play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Drake Maye will be 22 years and nine days old. The oldest and youngest quarterbacks to start the season opener for the Patriots are:

Oldest – Tom Brady, 2019 (42 years, 36 days)
Youngest – Drew Bledsoe, 1993 (21 years, 203 days)

Brissett wold be No. 21 on the list of the oldest. Maye would become the second youngest.

Post of the Day

Today’s post comes from Jordan Moore, responding to the poll posted during last night’s game about the odds to win the AFC East this season (for the record, 8% for the New England Patriots feels generous):

So you’re saying there’s a chance?? pic.twitter.com/7EvAGBjNLr

— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) August 26, 2024

Ten Takeaways From New England’s Final Preseason Game – The Patriots lost to the Commanders 20-10 on Sunday night. A look at the top performances and areas for improvement. There were also three injuries in the game.

Update on Eliot Wolf’s First Free Agency Class in New England– Wolf took over having the final say in the Patriots front office this offseason. He signed 19 players who played elsewhere in 2023 over the offseason. A look at how those players are looking as final cuts are approaching.

NFL Coverage

Preseason NFL All-Rookie Team (CBS Sports) – Bears QB Caleb Williams was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s also the starting quarterback on the preseason NFL All-Rookie Team. A look at the entire squad. (Spoiler alert: No New England Patriots were selected).

Ravens OL Coach D’Allesandris Dies at 70 (ESPN) – Joe D’Allesandris’ coaching career began 35 years ago. He has been Baltimore’s offensive line coach since 2017. He passed away Sunday morning after “an acute illness” landed him in the hospital for the past two weeks.

Browns’ Chubb Headed to PUP List (NFL.com) – Cleveland star running back Nick Chubb missed most of the 2023 season. He suffered a knee injury in Week 2, keeping him sidelined for the rest of the year. He will miss at least the first four games of 2024 as he continues to recover.

Boston Bruins

Boston Hockey Now – Matthew Poitras is pumped up for training camp. Bruins legend Rick Middleton works his magic at Fan Fest. Charlie Coyle says it’s time for the Bruins to prove themselves. Read about all of that and more on BHN.

PFN+

Subscribe here or on Boston Hockey Now to get a subscription to both sites. Subscribers get bonus coverage such as NFL Draft scouting reports and weekly NFL Power Rankings. It also provides a completely ad-free experience on the sites.

Use code KELLEY10 and get $10 off a yearly subscription. New England Patriots and Boston Bruins coverage with zero ads and bonus content for less than 8¢ a day!