Mayo reveals Patriots’ QB plan ahead of preseason opener vs. Panthers Originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
New England Patriots fans hoping to see Drake Maye in live NFL action for the first time won’t have to wait much longer.
The rookie quarterback will play in the Patriots’ preseason opener Thursday against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium, head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Tuesday.
Maye won’t be taking the field right away, though; the plan is for veteran Jacoby Brissett to be the starting quarterback Thursday night, according to Maye, with the rookie coming in as a reliever.
“When he gets into the game, we’ll talk about it, but he’ll play,” Mayo said of Maye. “Everyone who’s healthy enough to play will play.”
While Mayo did not reveal how reps will be split, he confirmed that all four QBs on the current roster (Brissett, Maye, sixth-round pick Joe Milton and Bailey Zappe) are expected to play against the Panthers.
New England’s QB strategy for Thursday makes sense based on what we’ve seen in 10 training camp practices. While Brissett and Maye have taken a relatively even amount of reps, Brissett has been the clear starter throughout camp.taking the first plays of competitive periods and working with the “ones” on offense.
The Patriots have insisted they will be methodical in developing Maye, so it’s no surprise he comes off the bench Thursday even with other top rookie QBs like Washington’s Jayden Daniels. They are expected to start in their preseason debut..
Kickoff for the Patriots-Panthers game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday.