Henry McKenna
NFL Reporter
Poor Jacoby Brissett.
Yes, this is a story about why he should be the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback. But that makes him something of a sacrificial lamb. If Brissett ends up the starter, we saw a preview of his upcoming trials and tribulations against the Washington Commanders on Sunday in the preseason finale.
With New England testing (another) new starting offensive line combination (excluding center David Andrews, who got the night off for veteran rest), the Patriots proved wholly unable to block Washington’s backups. That’s how you know you’re in for a long season.
It was so ugly that Brissett suffered a shoulder injury on the opening drive on a play that would make most offensive line coaches apoplectic. New head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters that Brissett would have reentered the game if it hadn’t been preseason. But the Patriots pulled him and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye took over.
The rookie displayed an exponential growth curve. But that’s not the point.
Brissett’s sack served as a reminder: Maye can’t start. This offense isn’t ready for him.
That’s not typically how NFL teams think about their quarterback competitions. They’re looking for the best player to rise to the top of the depth chart. They’re looking to win. And perhaps Mayo tipped his hand slightly on which way the Patriots are leaning.
“At this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby,” Mayo told WEEI sports radio on Monday.
Mayo added more context during a meeting with reporters later in the morning.
“I would say it starts in practice and also in the game where Drake has played better. Now in saying that, everyone wants to know who the starter’s going to be,” Mayo said. “I think there are multiple factors that have to go into the decision. One, there’s the total body of work, whether we’re talking about the spring or training camp. Also, we just forget about the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, which will also be weighted in the decision.”
It sounds a bit like the Patriots are leaning toward starting Maye, doesn’t it? It sounds like they’re trying to search for reasons to start Brissett, but Maye has simply been better.
I’m begging you, Jerod, don’t do it. Don’t start Maye.
As I watched the Patriots on Sunday night, I kept hearing Pete Carroll’s words. For a story about when to start your rookie QB, the former Seattle Seahawks coach told me how he thought through starting Russell Wilson in 2013 and building a game plan around him that would help the rookie succeed. The offense was all about Marshawn Lynch and the offensive line. But the team was really built around its defense.
“We were not overexposing Russ at all — trying not to,” Carroll said.
[READ MORE: When is the right time to start a rookie QB? Those who’ve made the call tell all]
The Patriots got awfully close to building something similar this offseason.
Their defense? Elite.
Their running back group? Extremely solid, particularly with a bruiser in Rhamondre Stevenson.
But you have to cut up that blueprint when you get to the offensive line.
This group can’t get it done for Maye.
New England has rotated at every spot but center during training camp. They have played Vederian Lowe, Chuks Okorafor, Caedan Wallace and Calvin Anderson at left tackle. They’ve played many of the same players at right tackle — along with Mike Onwenu. At guard, they’ve rotated through Onwenu, Sidy Sow, Layden Robinson and Atonio Mafi.
There hasn’t been a grouping that works.
Far too often, we’ve seen developmental quarterbacks fold under pressure. Bad blocking is one of the many ways to lead quarterbacks to bad habits and shattered confidence. Former Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was off to a strong start to his career, but offensive line woes (and plenty of other issues) derailed his development. Zach Wilson never learned how to play in an NFL pocket. Mitchell Trubisky has never proven to be more than backup quality. Bryce Young’s rookie season was a disaster behind the Panthers’ abominable offensive line last year. The list goes on.
Are the Patriots the worst team in the NFL?
Mayo himself said he didn’t want to start his rookie too early. And so he was asked about that, including how he felt about a rookie working behind an underperforming offensive line.
“I think every situation is unique. I don’t want to fall into this narrative fallacy, because you have seen rookie quarterbacks go out there and perform at a high level,” Mayo said. “I don’t know how the story ends with Drake’s rookie season, but all possibilities are open.”
If the Patriots decide to start Maye, they’ll do it because they think he’s akin to Peyton Manning or C.J. Stroud. Manning struggled through his rookie season in 1998 but never lost confidence and always kept his development on track — despite the Colts going 3-13. Stroud instantly elevated his offense and finished last season as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL.
I’m not ruling out the possibility that Maye could succeed this year. But if this offensive line looks anything like it did over the preseason and training camp, the Patriots might simply be putting their rookie in harm’s way. New England still doesn’t have its starting five. They only seem to know that Andrews is at center. Every other position remains a mystery. Mayo said they “still have some time to figure out” the right group. But it’s beginning to look like they simply don’t have the right ingredients. No matter the combination, this offensive line will be one of the league’s worst.
That’s why I opened this story with an apology to Brissett. Because I think the Patriots should start him. Probably all year. And that means Brissett has to take the beating in an offense that’s not good enough for a youngster. The offensive line won’t support much of a passing game — and that’ll probably kill the run game. Certainly, New England doesn’t have playmakers at receiver who can elevate this offense. Their top options are likely Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk and K.J. Osborn. That’s a group of WR3s on most teams.
It’s just not the right time for Maye.
When the Patriots drafted Maye, I predicted he’d outplay Brissett. I predicted Maye would start in Week 1. (And I still think that could be what happens.) Even having said that, I don’t think Maye should start.
He might be ready. But the rest of the team isn’t ready for Maye.
The Patriots should develop Maye behind the scenes. And if the offensive line can’t develop quickly enough to support its quarterback, the Patriots shouldn’t put the rookie out there. There’s no rush. There’s too much risk. This is why they signed Brissett.
Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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