FOXBORO, Mass. -- The first day of training camp was much like the final few days of the spring. And not only in the sense it was some 70 degrees with periods of light rain at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday.
Much of the same can be said about Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who repped behind expected starter Jacoby Brissett during competitive periods. Bailey Zappe and sixth-round rookie Joe Milton III took snaps behind them.
Brissett (11) and Maye (10) split the reps almost down the middle during full-team periods. They shared one practice field during the seventh "period" of practice while Zappe and Milton shared the other. The top units on both sides of the ball were on the field where Brissett and Maye were.
Maye was 6-for-10 during competitive periods with a highlight-reel throw to receiver Jalen Reagor. A play-action rollout to the right, which mirrored a drill Patriots quarterbacks practiced during an earlier period, went for a strike to JuJu Smith-Schuster during 11-on-11s. Maye also showed off his legs with a few decisive scrambles, which came after he took a sack on his second snap of the 11-on-11 period.
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Maye took his first competitive reps behind, from left to right, Vederian Lowe, Michael Jordan, Nick Leverett, Mike Onwenu and Caedan Wallace. Fourth-round rookie Layden Robinson replaced Onwenu at right guard shortly after, though, as Onwenu got reps with both right tackles.
Brissett went 10-for-13 during competitive periods. Brissett, who Jerod Mayo confirmed was the team's starter at this point in time, played behind what figures to be the starting offensive line. Chukwuma Okorafor, Sidy Sow, David Andrews, Onwenu and Calvin Anderson was the unit from left to right.
The Patriots seemed to mix in which receivers were playing with each of the quarterbacks. Maye started the initial 11-on-11 period with K.J. Osborn and Reagor and then had completions to tight ends La'Michael Pettway and Mitchell Wilcox along with running back Kevin Harris on a 7-on-7 period. Smith-Schuster dropped a pass on Maye's fourth snap of the same period. He also saw snaps with fellow rookie receivers Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk.
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Prior to the competitive periods, Maye and the quarterbacks did many of the same footwork and mechanic-related drills as they did in the spring. They threw into the net with Brissett being the only quarterback who aced his two reps. He threw short curls and slants to receivers and tight ends at half-speed before the receivers got in the mix for some intermediate and longer routes.
Maye and the Patriots will be back on the practice fields at Gillette Stadium on Thursday for the second day of training camp.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
