Patriots
Drake Mayes' potential push to develop into the Patriots' starting quarterback could begin as early as Wednesday when the team holds its first training camp, but odds are it won't occur until the regular season begins.
Jacoby Brissett is the clear favorite to begin the Patriots' Week 1 game initially of coaching camp. His odds of being New England's man under center are -400 when the season begins in Cincinnati the BetOnline sports betting.
Maye, meanwhile, has +250 odds to be the Patriots' starting quarterback in Week 1. Brissett's odds give him an implied 80 percent probability of being with the highest team when the regular season begins.
Although the Patriots drafted Maye with the third pick within the 2024 NFL Draft, he was apparently expected to start the season on the bench. Patriots coach Jerod Mayo told NFL Media's Cameron Wolfe immediately after Maye was chosen that Brissett, Maye and the quarterbacks “will compete against each other.”
“And the best player will start,” Mayo said Wolfe.
Maye began his workouts during organized team activities (OTAs) because the presumed third quarterback, figuring out behind Brissett and Bailey Zappe. When the team took a summer break following minicamp practices in June, Maye moved as much as the second unit during workouts.
Mayo, nonetheless, downplayed Maye's movement within the rankings.
“The depth charts, there aren't really any depth charts,” Mayo told reporters during minicamp in June. “I mean, we can say the first group, the second group — we're trying to mix and match offensively and defensively just to see what combinations work. And honestly, we're still trying to figure out where your depth is. … That's part of the whole process.”
Nevertheless, after completing minicamp, Mayo was convinced that Maye was on the best track.
“He's done a great job. He's going in the right direction,” Mayo said in June. “But we know there's going to be some bad days. That's one thing I've always tried to tell him: 'OK, just keep working on the rock and get one percent better every day.' It's not going to be great all the time. He's done a good job.”
The Patriots found themselves in the same situation on the quarterback position a couple of years ago. They re-signed Cam Newton before drafting Mac Jones with the fifteenth pick within the 2021 NFL Draft. Newton joined the primary team in practice when he was present at training camp and missed several practices as a result of the league's COVID guidelines.
Jones won the battle for starting quarterback at the top of coaching camp that yr and Newton was surprisingly fired. Of course, Bill Belichick was the team's head coach on the time and there is no such thing as a precedent for what Mayo could do in his first season as head coach. Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has never began a rookie quarterback in Week 1 in his five seasons as offensive coordinator.
Although Maye isn’t the favourite to begin in Week 1, bookmakers appear to consider he’ll play sooner or later this season. The betting total for passing yards in his rookie season is 2,400.5 yards. at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Maye continues to be considered an underdog to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, along with his odds of winning the award sitting at eighth (+2500). at DraftKings Sportsbook.
image credit : www.boston.com