The Patriots have just started mandatory minicamp, but second-year quarterback Drake Maye has already won over newly-arrived veterans like linebacker Harold Landry, the 29-year-old free agent signed from Nashville.
“I’m a big believer in Drake, man. Just seeing him in the locker room and out here on the field, his upbeat personality,” Landry said after Monday’s practice. He praised Maye for doing him “a solid” in gifting his son a signed Pro Bowl jersey for his birthday last week.
Here’s the skinny from this early summer: everybody likes Maye. And why shouldn’t they? As the No. 3 overall pick last year, he respectfully bided his time behind 32-year-old Jacoby Brissett. Everybody knew he was a big kid who had natural ability, but he impressed his teammates and coaches with his processing speed and emotional resilience. He even jumped into charity work with two feet, becoming a Best Buddies Global Ambassador this spring.
Those attributes are all great for the Patriots’ de-facto leader on the field. The big question this season is whether the 22-year-old can also be the jerk who has to call a guy out for the betterment of the entire team. According to coach Mike Vrabel, everybody shouldn’t love the Drake.
“This is pro football. I don't think everybody's going to like you,” Vrabel said when asked about Maye’s leadership. “I don't think that’s something that is possible. We have to do our job. We have to make sure that we're prepared and that ultimately the players can hold each other accountable to play to our standard, play to our identity and know what to do and perform.”
The Patriots had seniority and accountability covered for the last decade of the dynastic era with the mere presence of Tom Brady at offseason practices. But with the departures of nearly all the 2024 team captains over the last four months (only Hunter Henry and Jabrill Peppers remain – and neither were captain for the entirety of last season), there’s a natural passing of the baton to younger players – even if the last two 4-13 teams basically kicked it into the corner of the locker room carpet.
Maye has obvious self-awareness about what the coaches and team need from him, and he’s embracing both his personal background and Vrabel’s message.
“It's something that me, growing up with three older brothers and [being] around older people my whole life, I've kind of been comfortable, once I got acclimated, which I feel like I definitely am now, to kind of step into that zone,” he said. “Hey, especially offensively, if somebody's not doing their job – and it starts with me, I've got to do mine first – but if somebody's not doing their job and repeating mistakes, I think there’s got to be a consequence. I think at some point it hurts the football team, and I think it hurts everybody in that building.”
There’s natural awkwardness here. Maye hasn’t played a full season of professional football, yet, and he started just 26 games at UNC. He’s getting married in two weeks, but he’s still a baby-faced guy with a locker next to 31-year-old Stefon Diggs and (likely) across from 30-year-old Hunter Henry. Vrabel was fascinating describing how the quarterback needs to find his way in what he called a “unique position:”
“I think I have to encourage him, continue to encourage him and to put him in those positions to do that so that the players understand that there's a different version of all of us. There's one that's maybe off the field, that there's one in the meeting room, and then there's a version on the field, which we all have to understand is somewhat different than what it may be off the field.”
If one thing is clear from the offseason program thus far, it’s that it’s okay to make a mistake on Vrabel’s Patriots. Repeating mistakes is a problem. Will Maye find the voice to call out receivers who run the wrong routes, or teammates who fall short of professional expectations?
The areas in which the second-year quarterback needs to improve on the field are clear cut. He has to slow down his turnover rate (15 through 10 starts last year). He has to protect himself as a runner. He has to get more accurate as a thrower.
The areas in which he has to become a bigger voice are less distinct, but just as important.
“It's an opportunity for me to take a jump,” Maye said. “I think from last year being a rookie, trying to come in here and earn my stripes, earn my keep through hard work. I think this year is the same approach. You got new guys in here, new staff, got to keep on getting to know everybody, show my work ethic. From there, as the season comes around, try to take the next step in leadership and leading the offense and hopefully leading this football team.”