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The New England Patriots are a team that is filled with plenty of intrigue this season because of their young quarterback.
Drake Maye was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he has had an encouraging preseason so far.
He is 8-for-14 for 66 yards while also running in a touchdown in the Patriots’ two preseason games.
With veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett sporting a preseason passer rating of 0.0, the door is open for Maye to become the starting quarterback sooner rather than later.
Pundit Nick Wright said he believes Maye could start as early as Week 5 if he’s not named the starter at the beginning of the season.
“If he doesn’t start Week 1, I think the earliest he starts is Week 5,” Wright said on “First Things First.” “… This is why building a football team is so interesting.”
Should Drake Maye start Week 1 for the Patriots?
“If he doesn’t start Week 1, I think the earliest he starts is Week 5.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/FxmsCW5kye
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) August 16, 2024
As experienced as Brissett is, Maye might have the inside track to the starting job based on the first two preseason games.
However, to keep the rookie comfortable and in a good situation, head coach Jerod Mayo may want to wait a little bit to start him.
New England faces some very talented teams early in the regular season, including the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans.
The Dolphins (Week 5) and Texans (Week 6) both come to New England to face the Pats, so perhaps Mayo may rather give Maye the starting job for a home game.
Would he really consider putting a rookie quarterback out there against the Bengals, 49ers or Jets on the road in a hostile environment?
It could be unlikely, but time will tell what Mayo wants to do after the final preseason game.
The post Nick Wright Predicts When Drake Maye Might Take Over appeared first on The Cold Wire.