Alex Van Pelt likes Drake Maye’s progress: ‘I’m sure there’s a chance’ he starts Week 1

Thursday was the first time this preseason the media was able to meet with Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who head coach Jerod Mayo dubbed “head coach of the offense” in one of his press conferences earlier this camp.

And even with so many questions surrounding the offense heading into the team's final preseason game on Sunday in Washington, Van Pelt’s session primarily focused on the quarterback position - his view of Drake Maye’s “development plan,” Maye’s chances of starting Week 1, personnel having an impact on Maye’s opportunities, and many more Maye-related topics.

If it had to do with Maye, it was asked during this 10 minute window.

“Yeah, he’s taken steps forward every single day, you know that’s the big thing,” said Van Pelt of his rookie quarterback. “There’s no regression. He’s taking what he learned from the previous practices and applying it to the next practice.

“He’s been really impressive - last few weeks especially.”

So what’s getting in the way of the number three overall pick winning the starting job ahead of Week 1?

“Um - Jacoby,” said Van Pelt, in reference - of course - to nine-year veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who re-signed with the Patriots this offseason to help bring Maye along during his rookie season.

“You know, right now [Brissett’s] our starting quarterback. So the good news is this week we get to play everybody. You know, we’re still in the evaluation process. We have one more preseason game, and our guys are gonna play. So we’ll have another chance to evaluate.”

Despite making this declaration in favor of Brissett, Van Pelt echoed the sentiment Mayo has been carrying since last Thursday, as he, too, kept the door open for Maye to still win the starting job.

“I’m sure,” said Van Pelt when asked directly if Maye still had a shot at the starting job for Week 1. “You know, [Mayo] said it’s open competition. Obviously we have one more game to go. I’m sure there’s a chance. But I think as you go in, there’s still a process of how you bring a rookie quarterback along, you know? So I think that’s important to remember as well.”

Part of that process of bringing along a rookie quarterback is the personnel playing around him, and Mayo previously mentioned during camp that one of the reasons we saw limited snaps from Maye in Preseason Week 1 was due to a lack of confidence in the Patriots’ back-up offensive linemen.

And when Van Pelt was asked how much the personnel along the offensive line has impacted Maye’s playing time, he said it has had “some” impact, but “not all.”

“You know, obviously, we gotta get him out there and watch him play,” said Van Pelt. “We’d obviously like to get him out there with the first group if we can, and see him operate with the first offense.”

But how soon will it be before the Patriots feel comfortable setting in stone their five starting offensive linemen? Because based on what Mayo and Van Pelt have told us, confidence in that group will lead to more of a comfortability with unleashing Maye.

“I mean, that’s work in progress as well,” said Van Pelt of the offensive line. “You know, we’re really still evaluating. You know, you’ll see different lineups. Each practice, you’ll see guys switch sides, go from guard to tackle, right tackle to left tackle. We’re trying to find the best five guys - maybe not the best five players, but the best five guys that work together as a unit. And that’s still a work in progress.

“Hopefully this game [on Sunday] will solidify that for us.”

When Van Pelt was asked if the team regretted playing Maye for only six plays in his preseason debut, he said “not at all,” and pointed to the catch-all phrase Mayo has been using all month long when lack of reps for the rookie come into question:

Drake Maye’s development plan.

“I don’t regret it at all,” said Van Pelt. “I think that was our plan going in the whole time. We’ve not stepped off of our plan. We had a plan going in - we’re gonna get him started, and then add to the workload as the weeks progress.

“I think [the development plan] is just to bring him along. You know, there’s certain things in this offense that, you know, Jacoby, having played in this offense, understands. Some of the tools that you can use to get you out of certain situations, pressure situations - things like that that Drake is still learning.”

So while we still have not been given a firm step-by-step look or explanation on this cloak-and-dagger development plan, Van Pelt gave us a window into some of the specific teachings going on within the plan.

One thing Van Pelt was firm on was reiterating the progress he’s seen from the soon-to-be 22-year-old quarterback.

“He has really been impressive the last few weeks of practice and [against the Eagles],” said Van Pelt. “You know, he’s moving in the right direction, for sure.

“But, again, rookie quarterback coming in and playing - you know, obviously, we have Jacoby, has tons of experience. Not just in the NFL but in this system, and we won games with him in Cleveland. I feel comfortable with his understanding.

“But, again - Drake is really pushing.”

Van Pelt adds yet another coal to the start-Drake-Maye-fire.