Patriots passers have targeted an open downfield receiver on a league-low 4.3% of their combined attempts this season (3+ yards of separation; 10+ air yards).

Drake Maye has scrambled to run on 11.2% of his dropbacks this season, the 2nd-highest rate in the NFL. Despite not starting until Week 6, Maye is already 4th in the NFL in scramble yards (261), averaging 10.0 yards per scramble (2nd-most in the NFL, min. 20 scrambles).

Two TDs, two turnovers in loss

Maye completed 30 of 40 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Sunday's 28-22 loss to the Rams. He also rushed three times for 27 yards and lost a fumble.

Analysis: Maye threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne in the first quarter and a four-yard touchdown pass to offensive lineman Vederian Lowe in the fourth. This was the third time in six starts that Maye mustered multiple touchdown passes, but the lack of talent around him continues to limit Maye's fantasy upside as he adjusts to the NFL. The third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has much more value in dynasty and keeper formats than in redraft leagues considering he has as many turnovers…read more

Carried to win by defense

Maye completed 15 of 25 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown with an interception in Sunday's 19-3 win over the Bears. He added 24 rushing yards on four carries.

Analysis: The third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft got the better of Caleb Williams, the first overall pick, in their first career meeting, but neither rookie quarterback sparkled. Maye did account for the only TD of the game however, finding Ja'Lynn Polk for a two-yard score late in the second quarter to put the Patriots in the lead for good. Maye has a 7:5 TD:INT in five games since taking over the starting job at QB, and he'll look to take advantage of a better matchup in Week 11 at home against…read more

Solid numbers despite miscues

Maye completed 29 of 41 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss to the Titans. He added eight rushes for 95 yards and lost a fumble.

Analysis: Maye played his part in a sloppy game, losing a fumble that gave the Titans a short field to record the go-ahead touchdown and also throwing the game-clinching pick. On the other hand, he also continued to flash moments of brilliance, highlighted by a five-yard touchdown pass to tie the game as time expired, during which he evaded pressure for several seconds and made the throw as he was being taken to the ground. The majority of his other playmaking came with his legs by tallying long…read more

Clears concussion protocol

Maye has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and no longer carries an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Titans.

Analysis: As a result, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- who had been listed as questionable after sustaining a concussion last weekend against the Jets -- is line to make his fourth straight start for the Patriots on Sunday, per Evan Lazar of the team's official site. With Maye under center, New England's passing game has been able to pick up the pace, but the rookie out of North Carolina profiles as a hit-or-miss fantasy option while facing the Titans, who head into Week 9 action allowing…read more

Questionable for Sunday

Maye (concussion) officially is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Tennessee.

Analysis: Maye was able to handle limited work in all three practices during Week 9 prep, giving him a chance to miss no time as a result of the concussion he sustained this past Sunday against the Jets. Having said that, he'll still need to gain clearance from an independent neurologist in order to suit up this weekend. At the latest, Maye's status will be confirmed, one way or another, about 90 minutes before Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. Jacoby Brissett is on hand to start if Maye doesn't pass…read more

Limited again, may still play Sunday

Head coach Jerod Mayo said that Maye (concussion) will be a limited participant in Friday's practice, but the Patriots haven't yet ruled the quarterback out from playing in Sunday's game against the Titans, Chad Graff of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: Mayo added that Maye remains in the concussion protocol, after the rookie quarterback suffered the head injury on a helmet-to-helmet hit during this past Sunday's win over the Jets. Though Maye was cleared to practice Wednesday as a limited participant, he has yet to increase his activity in the two days that have followed. The Patriots are likely to list Maye as questionable or doubtful for the Week 9 contest when they release their final injury report later Friday, and though Mayo is leaving…read more

Another limited practice

Maye (concussion) remained limited at practice Thursday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Back-to-back limited sessions set the stage for what Maye is able to do at practice Friday to loom large in terms of his chances of facing the Titans on Sunday. If the QB is unable to progress fully through the NFL's concussion protocol before then, however, Jacoby Brissett would be in line to draw the start against Tennessee.

Set for limited practice

Maye (concussion) will be a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Analysis: Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed that Maye is still in concussion protocol, with the quarterback slated to do some throwing at Wednesday's practice. Maye's involvement in the Patriots' first Week 9 practice session provides hope that he could be available Sunday against the Titans, but the young signal-caller will still need to clear all five steps of the protocol for that to happen. If Maye is not active this weekend, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes that Joe Milton would back up Jacoby…read more

Done for day with concussion

Maye was diagnosed with a concussion after exiting in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Jets and has been ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Analysis: Maye appeared to suffer the head injury when he took a helmet-to-helmet hit during a scramble on the Patriots' third possession. Though he stayed in the game for the remainder of the drive, he gave way to backup Jacoby Brissett on the Patriots' next possession while he headed to the locker room for a concussion test. Brissett will now direct the New England offense for the rest of the day, while Joe Milton -- who is inactive as the emergency third quarterback -- will be the next man up for reps…read more

Exits Sunday's game

Maye exited Sunday's game against the Jets in the second quarter due to a head injury.

Analysis: Per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, Maye took a hit to the back of his helmet during a scramble on the Patriots' third drive of the game, and now the quarterback is questionable to return to action Sunday. Jacoby Brissett has entered the game in place of Maye, who completed three of six passes for 23 yards while adding 46 yards and a touchdown on three carries prior to exiting the contest.

Another encouraging start

Maye completed 26 of 37 passes for 276 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 32-16 loss to the Jaguars. He added three rushes for 18 yards.

Analysis: Maye got off to an impressive start, leading a touchdown drive on the Patriots' first possession while going 6-for-7 with 62 yards and a passing score. However, both he and the offense stalled from there until early in the fourth quarter, when Maye led a second scoring drive during which he completed five of six passes for 97 yards and another touchdown. Even during the unproductive stretches of the contest, Maye showed improvement from his first NFL start by not turning the ball over. While…read more

Another full practice

Maye (knee) practiced fully again Thursday, Zack Cox of the Boston Herald reports.

Analysis: Per the report, Maye -- who also worked fully Wednesday -- didn't display any visible limitations during the media-access portion of Thursday's practice and didn't appear to be wearing a brace. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt told Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site prior to the session that he's "not concerned" about the QB's knee issue ahead of Week 7 action, with the 2024 first-rounder thus on track to start Sunday's game against the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.

Knee issue downplayed

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt downplayed Maye's (knee) presence on the the Patriots' Week 7 injury report, noting Thursday that he's "not concerned," adding that the rookie QB "looked good" to him Wednesday, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com report.

Analysis: Maye was listed as a full participant on Wednesday's injury report, and unless the QB's participation level decreases Thursday or Friday, he should approach Sunday's game against the Jaguars without an injury designation. Added context on that front is slated to arrive once the Patriots' second injury report of the week is posted Thursday.

Three TDs, three TOs in first start

Maye completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in Sunday's 41-21 loss to the Texans. He added five rushing attempts for 38 yards and lost a fumble.

Analysis: After leading the offense to a three-and-out on the first drive of his first NFL start, Maye was picked off on the next possession. He struggled early but finally produced New England's first points of the game with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte in the final minute of the first half. That play didn't create any momentum, as Maye lost a fumble on the second play of the second half. He later threw touchdown passes of six yards to Hunter Henry and 35 yards to DeMario Douglas as the…read more

QB switch confirmed

Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Wednesday that Maye will start Sunday's game against the Texans, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Analysis: Mayo noted that the team's decision to switch starting quarterbacks from Jacoby Brissett to the rookie first-round pick was based on the belief that Maye gives the Patriots the best chance to win. Maye thus assumes the starting role for the 1-4 Patriots, who head into Week 6 action averaging just 12.4 points per game, ahead of only the Dolphins for the worst mark in the NFL. While the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft will be working behind an offensive line with question marks and…read more

Taking over as starter

The Patriots are planning to have Maye start Sunday's game against the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: While New England has yet to officially confirm the move, expect head coach Jerod Mayo to announce it when he meets with the media Wednesday. The decision to turn to Maye -- the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft -- isn't a major surprise, as the Patriots had struggled to a 1-4 start with Jacoby Brissett directing an offense that averaged 250.8 yards and 12.4 points per game, both of which are the second-worst marks in the NFL. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Maye boasts an ideal frame for…read more

Makes pro debut in fourth quarter

Maye replaced Jacoby Brissett with 4:24 remaining in the Patriots' 24-3 loss to the Jets on Thursday night and completed four of eight passes for 22 yards while adding two rushes for 12 yards.

Analysis: Maye ended up helming a ragged 16-play, 46-yard drive that encompassed the final 4:24 of the game and culminated with the rookie third overall pick taking a sack at the Jets' 12-yard line. His longest completion came on the final pass he got off, a 15-yard connection with DeMario Douglas. Brissett threw for just 98 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per attempt while taking five sacks, so it remains to be seen if Maye, who was essentially just as ineffective over a more condensed period, will be…read more

Added reps part of development plan

Coach Jerod Mayo noted that Maye is getting about 30 percent of the reps with the Patriots' top offense in practice, as part of the young QB's development plan, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald report.

Analysis: Veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett led the team to a Week 1 win over the Bengals and remains the Patriots' starter at this stage, but Mayo acknowledged that Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is seeing more first-team reps than a typical backup would, with an eye toward preparing him for an eventual ascent to the top of the depth chart down the road. "Normally, it's the starter gets let's say 95 percent of the reps, and the backup doesn't," Mayo relayed Friday. "With this a…read more

Backing up Brissett in Week 1

Head coach Jerod Mayo has informed his team that Jacoby Brissett will be the Patriots' starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Bengals, while Maye will serve as Brissett's backup, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Though Brissett appeared to have the upper hand in the competition for much of the summer, Maye -- the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- made a late push for the job. However, the Patriots coaching staff ultimately elected to turn to the more experience Brissett to helm the offense to begin the season. That said, Maye, who turns 22 years old Friday, is no doubt viewed as the team's quarterback of the future, and the North Carolina product has plenty of upside down the road. Maye…read more

Starter to be announced Thursday

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said Wednesday that the team has made a decision between Maye and Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) as their Week 1 starting quarterback, but a formal announcement won't be made until Thursday, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports.

Analysis: Prior to New England trimming its roster down to 53 men, Mayo said Monday that Maye had outperformed Brissett in recent weeks, but the coach also acknowledged his hesitancy to start the rookie quarterback immediately. Brissett's shoulder injury doesn't appear likely to affect his performance Week 1, so that shouldn't be a factor in Mayo's decision on a starter. If there are any concerns that New England's offense still has some wrinkles to iron out before putting Maye in the best position to…read more

No lock for Week 1 start

Coach Jerod Mayo acknowledged Monday that Maye outplayed Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) the past few weeks, but Mayo also said he's wary of "the horror stories of rookie QBs getting thrown to the wolves," Chad Graff of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: It's a not-so-subtle acknowledgment that the Patriots wouldn't have Maye in the best position for immediate success, putting him behind a shaky offensive line while throwing to a mix of young, unproven players and mediocre veterans. The third overall pick completed 21 of 34 passes (61.8 percent) for 192 yards and a TD this preseason, adding seven carries for 32 yards and another TD, while Brissett was five of 14 for 36 yards and an interception (without any rush attempts). The gap between the…read more

Makes case to take starting job

Maye completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Sunday's 20-10 preseason loss to the Commanders. He added three rushes for 17 yards.

Analysis: Maye followed Jacoby Brissett (shoulder) into the game but took over on the second offensive drive. He got off to a shaky start with two aborted snaps in his first six plays, but he settled in and made a number of impressive throws. Maye's longest completion of the day came on a 29-yard completion across the middle of the field to Ja'Lynn Polk. More importantly, Maye showed command of the pocket, escaping pressure when needed while also making some throws on the run -- two of which were negated…read more

Set to face Commanders on Sunday

Maye is slated to play in Sunday's preseason finale against the Commanders, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Coach Jerod Mayo revealed Friday that Jacoby Brissett would start the contest, with Maye, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton also in line to see action versus Washington. Per Chad Graffof The Athletic the Patriots hope to decide on a Week 1 starting QB (between Brissett and Maye) by Monday night, but as the team's final exhibition game approaches, Mayo acknowledged that "it's still a competition and Jacoby is still QB1." That said, on Sunday, Maye will have one more chance to make a case to overtake…read more

Competing to start Week 1

Coach Jerod Mayo said Friday that Mayo has made strides and is competing for the Week 1 starting job, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports.

Analysis: Jacoby Brissett has taken most of the first-team practice reps in practice and started the first two preseason games, but his performance in the preseason hasn't helped his cause, with the veteran completing three of 10 passes for 17 yards and throwing an ugly end-zone interception. While Maye's passing stats haven't been great -- 8-for-14 for 66 yards, with no TDs or INTs -- he was much better than Brissett in Thursday's 14-13 loss to the Eagles, running for a TD in the second quarter and…read more

Runs in TD as Brissett struggles

Maye completed six of 11 passes for 47 yards while rushing four times for 15 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles.

Analysis: Maye played the second and third quarters after Jacoby Brissett mustered only three completions, no points and an interception in three first-quarter drives. While Maye was only marginally better with his arm, the rookie third overall pick showed off his wheels by running in a four-yard touchdown on an option play in the second quarter. Maye's inability to add points in the third quarter showed why Brissett remains the favorite to open the regular season as the starter under center, but neither…read more

To see more reps Thursday

After playing just one series in the Patriots' preseason opener, Maye is set to see increased action Thursday night against the Eagles, Albert Breer of SI.com reports.

Analysis: Per Breer, look for Jacoby Brissett to play the first quarter, followed by Maye in the second quarter and into the third, with Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe on track to finish the contest. While Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is clearly the Patriots' franchise QB of the future, Brissett remains the team's presumed starter ahead of Week 1.

Plays one series in preseason win

Maye completed two of three passes for 19 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the Patriots' 17-3 preseason win over the Panthers on Thursday.

Analysis: Maye followed Jacoby Brissett into the game, and like his veteran teammate, the rookie third overall pick was only in for one series. However, Maye was able to put together a serviceable line relative to his brief time in the game, initially connecting on a 13-yard screen pass to Antonio Gibson before hitting Gibson's backfield mate Kevin Harris for another six yards. That leaves Maye still searching for his first completion to a wide receiver or tight end, a matter he should have ample chance…read more

To play in preseason opener

Coach Jerod Mayo said Tuesday that Maye will play in Thursday's preseason contest against the Panthers, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports.

Analysis: Maye has spent training camp working behind veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who remains the favorite to open the 2024 campaign as New England's starter. The rookie No. 3 overall pick has reportedly had an up-and-down camp, but Albert Breer of SI.com reports that many of those struggles can be attributed to working with the second-string O-line, and that Maye has nonetheless impressed the coaching staff with his vision. Brissett figures to start Thursday's exhibition matchup, but it will be…read more

Behind Brissett to begin camp

Head coach Jerod Mayo said Tuesday that Maye will have a chance to earn the Week 1 starting job, even though Jacoby Brissett is viewed as the Patriots' No. 1 quarterback, Chris Mason of MassLive.com reports.

Analysis: "If [Maye] comes out here and he lights it up... it could absolutely happen," Mayo said, before adding that Bailey Zappe or Joe Milton could also win the job if they play well enough this summer. It's a lot of coach-speak, but the main point seems to be that Brissett will get most of the first-team reps early in training camp. Mayo also denied that concerns about the New England offensive line could factor into the QB decision, which is what you'd expect him to say publicly even if it isn't…read more