Mayo reveals Patriots QB plan for season opener against Panthers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
New England Patriots fans looking to see Drake Maye in action in the NFL for the first time won’t have to wait much longer.
The rookie quarterback will play in the Patriots’ season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday at Gillette Stadium, head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Tuesday.
Maye won’t be taking the field right away, though. According to Mayo, the plan is for veteran Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback on Thursday night, while the rookie will come in as a reliever.
“If he gets in the game, we’ll talk about it, but he’ll play,” Mayo said of Maye. “Anyone who’s healthy enough to play in the game will play in the game.”
Mayo did not disclose how the reps would be divided, but he did confirm that all four quarterbacks on the current roster (Brissett, Maye, sixth-round pick Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe) are expected to play against the Panthers.
New England’s QB strategy for Thursday makes sense based on what we’ve seen during 10 training camp drills. While Brissett and Maye have gotten a relatively equal amount of reps, Brissett has been the clear starter throughout camp, taking the early snaps of competitive periods and working with the “ones” on offense.
The Patriots have insisted they will be methodical in their development of Maye, so it’s no surprise he’ll come off the bench Thursday, even as other top rookie quarterbacks like Washington’s Jayden Daniels are expected to make their preseason debuts.
Kickoff for the Patriots-Panthers is scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
