Should the Patriots start Drake Maye right away? Or should they let the quarterback sit and develop behind Jacoby Brissett?
That’s going to be one of the most-asked questions between now and September.
On the latest “Eye on Foxborough” podcast, former Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer came down on the side of sitting Maye, the third overall pick in the NFL draft.
Fanatics Sportsbook
10X$100 BONUS BET
BET MATCH BONUS
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, KY ,MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV); (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelpline.org (MA), mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1800gambler.net (WV)
While Hoyer said he expects both Caleb Williams (Chicago) and Jayden Daniels (Washington) to start right out of gate, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots didn’t follow suit.
“I don’t think there’s any necessary reason to start him Day 1,” said Hoyer, who was part of one Super Bowl-winning team with the Patriots. “You have a great veteran quarterback in Jacoby who can win games in the NFL. He’s proven that time and time again.
“And, to be honest, it’s not as good of a situation as a few of those other teams.”
In that light, Hoyer predicted J.J. McCarthy, taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 10th overall pick, could wind up being the offensive rookie of the year solely based on the situation he’s going into.
“(He has) a great coaching situation, a great skill player situation, and really a good team in general,” Hoyer said. “For young quarterbacks, a lot of it is the situation you’re going into … so much of it has to do with timing and the situation.”
Hoyer, a veteran of 15 NFL seasons, agreed the expectation should be for the third overall pick to be a Day 1 starter. But for Maye, a quarterback?
“I don’t think that’s the case,” he said. “I think you let him come in. I think you let him learn from Jacoby. Get coached really well, improve his footwork, improve his ability to read the defenses, those types of things, and you don’t rush him into it. I think that’s the best scenario for him.”
