Did the Patriots — Robert and Jonathan Kraft in particular — recently make calls around the league seeking advice on how to handle Drake Maye, as one recent report suggested?
Jerod Mayo claimed Monday on WEEI radio that wasn’t the case. He was adamant. “All of those reports are false. None of those reports are true,” he said.
Whether they did or didn’t, whether the Krafts are actively looking to upgrade the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball or not, it’s hard to ignore one simple truth.
Drake Maye is developing just fine. Six starts into his NFL career, he looks like he’s going to be a star, and that’s not just the view locally. It’s everywhere.
Whether it’s former Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden, Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, or Sean McVay, the Super Bowl-winning winning head coach the Patriots faced Sunday, the praise for Maye has been off the charts.
After beating the Patriots on Sunday, McVay told reporters that he believed Maye was going to be “a special player for a long time.” One game against him, and McVay said he looked like a “stud.”
That’s all good. But Maye is far from being a finished product. As Gruden pointed out, he’s not a superstar just yet, but he’s headed there.
There’s still work to be done. Plenty of young quarterbacks have looked special in the early going, only to falter and not meet expectations.
To this point, the Patriots have gotten the details right when it comes to developing Maye. From fixing his footwork issues, showing him how to handle a huddle, teaching him how to play under center and sell play-action, and more, it’s hard to find fault with how far he’s come since he walked in the door at the end of April.
He’s improved in all of those areas. And he has shown off his talent and athleticism with every start.
Against the Rams alone, on one play, he flashed a sidearm throw to Kayshon Boutte to get the ball by an oncoming rusher. On another, he threw across his body on the dead run, hitting Hunter Henry. A penalty negated the play, but it was still a stunning throw.
Those plays are just part of the reason why McVay said Maye caused the Rams fits on Sunday.
And of course, no one is about to forget the jaw-dropping play he made against the Tennessee Titans a few weeks back to send the game into overtime. That’s already logged in the hall of best NFL plays made this season.
Maye’s insane maneuvering around the pocket, keeping the final play alive for nearly 12 seconds before hitting Rhamondre Stevenson with a 5-yard touchdown pass was crazy good.
So now it’s on Mayo, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and the rest of the offensive coaches to make sure Maye continues on an upward trajectory.
“As people continue to be excited, which it is exciting to have a quarterback go out there and throw like that, we need to continue to manage our expectations and realize that he is a rookie quarterback,” Mayo said, “and hopefully, he continues on this trajectory. Because that will help us become a good football team.”
It’s also on de facto GM Eliot Wolf and the front office to outfit him with the necessary talent to make Maye’s talent shine even more.
The Patriots can’t have Maye go another year sitting behind a substandard offensive line. His quick delivery, quick thinking and ability to move has helped avoid sacks, but that’s not an excuse for Wolf to stand pat with the current group.
Maye also won’t reach projected heights if Wolf can’t secure a No. 1 receiver. Doing more with less shouldn’t be a part of Maye’s standard operating procedure.
If the Patriots play their cards right, bring in the necessary roster personnel and continue to have him develop and progress at the current clip, it won’t matter if the report was true or false.
Having Maye continue to soar will serve as the coaching staff’s best job security.