Why Drew Bledsoe Is In Favor Of Patriots’ Drake Maye Plan

Despite the praise he received, Drake Maye won’t start in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, and the rookie’s New England Patriots predecessors were in favor of the decision.

Head coach Jerod Mayo admitted Maye “outplayed” Jacoby Brissett and stressed “competition” throughout the offseason. But Brissett was named the starter, which was a move that made sense, but the method in which Mayo made his call was strange.

Tom Brady was outspoken in his belief that rookie quarterbacks should not start right away. He and others benefitted from that strategy, but Drew Bledsoe was a Patriots Hall of Famer who did not sit his rookie season. The 1993 No. 1 overall pick was thrown out there, got injured and had a mediocre season before he broke out in his sophomore campaign. Despite that, Bledsoe didn’t have a problem with how his former team has handled Maye.

“Philosophically, I like what they’re doing,” Bledsoe said on WEEI’s “Jones & Keefe” on Friday. “It’s largely because of Jacoby Brissett. This guy’s a veteran quarterback. He played well for a long time, and he’s going to be a great mentor for Drake. He also can win you games in the short term. And then philosophically, look, I was thrown right in there. I felt like I was ready for it. Obviously, (Bill) Parcells felt like I was ready for it. There’s also a benefit to sitting and watching. I didn’t learn that until I got hurt my rookie year. I got to sit and watch three games and sitting on the sideline and watching three games, seemed like that slowed everything down a little bit. Philosophically, I agree with this, and I also think Jacoby’s an outstanding quarterback. And he may help them win some games in the near term while they’re getting Drake ready.”

Parcells also admitted it was a nuanced conversation. He started Bledsoe in ’93, but he waited on players like Tony Romo. The sentiment among Patriots fans is that Maye will get his chance at some point this season, and it will be a wait-and-see on how much sitting at the start of the season will benefit the 2024 No. 3 pick.