Patriots Notes: Dissecting what we saw from Drake Maye on Day 1 of OTAs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
FOXBORO – Eliot Wolf made it very clear when he was at the combine, long before Drake Maye or anyone else was drafted to New England, long before any free agents were signed. He knew what his team-building philosophy would be, and how it would differ from Bill Belichick’s.
“I think there will be a little more reliance on young players playing,” Wolf said at the time. “I think in today’s football it is very important to be able to play with young players and develop from within.”
Drawing and developing. Drawing and developing. That was the Patriots’ offseason drumbeat.
So why did Maye look like the third-string quarterback during the first Organized Team Activity practice of the spring?
The 21-year-old from North Carolina took the reps behind Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe on Monday, working for fellow rookie Joe Milton.
There could be any number of reasons why the No. 3 overall pick would go third overall.
It may be that the most efficient way to practice would be to have the still-learning rookies rank third and fourth in the pecking order behind the vets. It could be a nod to the older players that they get a chance to compete for jobs. Could be a message to the young players that they have to earn their stripes.
Everything would be understandable. Unless and until that kind of spread of practice reps stunts Maye’s growth.
At this point, it’s too early to say that things will continue this way. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters before the first of thirteen OTA practices that the distribution of reps for quarterbacks wouldn’t necessarily be indicative of how things would function going forward.
“No, that won’t be indicative of what we do,” Mayo explained. “I think it’s day to day. You know, you try to keep all these guys around the same number of reps. But at the same time, on any given day, this guy might get 30 reps and another guy might get five. But if we take the If you continue working for a week, things can change a bit.”
And at some point it would have to turn around. Maye is in the organization’s long-term plans. He is the long-term plan for the organization. Brissett will get a real opportunity to start Week 1. Both need to practice with their new teammates. And a lot of it.
Zappe and Milton, meanwhile, could battle for third place.
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A story by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer makes it clear that the team plans to “cut the league down to three guys” by the time training camp starts. Asked Monday if he wanted to downsize the room, Mayo acknowledged that would happen eventually.
“Once we get to training camp, that’s real football,” he said. “So here in the spring we’ll be rocking four. But once we get to training camp, you’ve got to start whittling down the roster.”
On May 29, reporters will be back on the fields behind Gillette Stadium for OTA work. The Patriots know the way the work is distributed will be closely watched, and perhaps practice will look different.
But on Day 1, in a league where highly drafted quarterbacks typically play early, it was remarkable to watch New England’s well-drafted passer wait his turn behind not one but two of his veteran teammates.
Here are some of our other takeaways from Monday’s work…
Maye footwork in focus
The Patriots will hold regular sessions of their “Quarterback School” with this new offensive coaching staff. Mike McCarthy has taken passer-specific drills all over the league, and now two of his former assistants in Green Bay – Alex Van Pelt and Ben McAdoo – have a chance to do some of the same things in Foxboro.
Quarterbacks worked to gain ground while taking shots and moving out from under the center. They tried to get through bags on the ground with their eyes up and then tried to make accurate throws into a net. They threw from an imaginary pocket and outside.
For Maye, whose footwork has been criticized long before the draft, he looked fluid along the way. There were moments when he seemed deliberate and methodical in his fall. But apart from one collision with a bag, you’d be hard-pressed to call his footwork a problem. In real time, it is not noticeably different from that of his veteran teammates.
It appeared he rushed some steps in a team exercise, leading to a failure on a checkdown. But it’s clear he’s a good athlete. It would be interesting to hear from his offensive coaches what they consider fixable in the short term and how they have seen him progress in a short period of time. Expect “Quarterback School” to remain an important part of spring practices.
May facts
Maye completed six of his seven competitive attempts, with an incompletion (noted above) on a checkdown. He threw behind another short throw to a running back, but made two zip throws to the sideline for completion on our routes.
Maye could be seen talking to Van Pelt and McAdoo during practice, and he also spent some time talking things over with Brissett. Late in practice, Brissett and Maye shared offensive reps on one court, while Zappe and Milton took snaps on the other court.
When the session was over, Maye threw several minutes to rookie wideouts Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. They were the last three on the field.
Shaking up the offensive line
It’s a different group in the trenches these days. Mike Onwenu remains on the right side after re-signing this offseason. Next to him on Monday was veteran newcomer Nick Leverett at right guard. David Andrews manned the center spot with Sidy Sow at left guard and Chukwuma Okorafor at left tackle.
Okorafor signed as a free agent after six years as a right tackle with Pittsburgh.
“I think it takes time,” Okorafor said after practice when asked if he would play on the left side of the line. “I’ve played right field all the time (with the Steelers). Obviously it’s new. I’m trying to learn left field from now on. I’m just trying to learn a whole new playbook. I’m trying to learn a whole new city, a whole new city , so everything is a bit new to me now.
Attendance check
Matthew Judon, Davon Godchaux, Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings were not spotted during the session.
Judon is in the final year of his contract. After moving the money from 2024 to 2023 last summer, his contract will pay him a base salary of $6.5 million. Coming off a season-ending injury, Judon’s contract situation and availability are worth keeping an eye on.
Uche and Jennings signed new deals this season. Godchaux is now in the final year of his contract, but according to Over the Cap, he is not owed any guaranteed money.
Cole Strange, Kendrick Bourne and Jahlani Tavai were all present but did not participate. Bourne and Strange return after seasonal injuries. Tavai has been limping on the field and appears to be suffering from a lower body condition.
Regarding Strange’s injury, Mayo said: “He’s more of a, let’s say, week to week, or you can go month to month if you want.”
Stevenson, a busy man
On a day where the Patriots offense focused on early work, Rhamondre Stevenson had plenty to do. He didn’t just take a bunch of zone handoffs. But he was also the target of both the screen game and the traditional drop-back passing game. He showed up quickly and looked well conditioned.
Fast hitters
Kayshon Boutte made the catch of the day on the sideline, spreading out for a Milton offer… Milton didn’t receive 11-on-11 reps, but was sharp in 7-on-7 work, completing all four of his passes… Milton overshot one receiver on a fade while working against the air… KJ Osborn had a drop… Zappe fumbled on a snap… Kyle Dugger broke up a Brissett pass in seven-on-seven work… Van Pelt wore a microphone during the training, his audio was captured by the internal content team for a video to be released at a later date… Music was played for almost the entire session.
