Drake Maye on his rookie season and against Caleb Williams

Patriots

As Drake Maye continues his rookie season with the Patriots, the 22-year-old has an inexpensive short-term goal.

“I have to protect the football. That’s the biggest thing,” Maye told reporters on Wednesday about what he needs to enhance. “I think there are times when [it’s] My decision making, whether it's keeping the ball secure in the pocket or knowing when the little timer in my head is going to go off, things like that. Other than that, the most important thing is just making the right play.”

Maye explained that he needed to balance his natural aggressiveness, noting, “Sometimes a punt isn't the worst thing here.”

“Knowing the situation and knowing what the best play is for this football team,” Maye added.

Maye has made 4 starts to this point in his first NFL season and had to go away considered one of those games (the win over the Jets on October 27) because of concussion protocol. He totaled 770 yards (65.6 percent completion rate) with six touchdown passes and 4 interceptions.

The 22-year-old has also shown a feel for plays on the bottom and has led his team in rushing on several occasions. He has rushed for 209 yards (including one touchdown), averaging 10 yards per carry.

“Obviously I’m a passer first,” Maye explained when asked about his hustle. “I want to be a passer in this league. You have to be a passer to be successful in this league. I'm trying to find it [receivers]and when [the defense] I drop seven and rush four, and there are rush lanes – and the Titans had a defensive mentality to sit back in the zone, and somehow everyone was looking at me – I was like, “Yeah, I'm going to make a play.”

His next challenge will be facing fellow rookie in No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears on Sunday (1 p.m.) at Soldier Field. Maye was asked about his relationship with Williams.

“As a freshman coming out as a quarterback, you spend a lot of time with these guys,” Maye said.

“Actually with Caleb, I've seen him since high school,” Maye added. “We went to the same camps, played Elite 11 together and visited a few colleges together. Sort of the whole thing of going through the process again. We kept up with each other in college. We were friends and I enjoyed watching him do his thing and now I have the chance to compete.”

Maye acknowledged the inevitable rivalry between players in the identical draft class and admitted Sunday's match had “that little something extra.”

“Any time you go against a rookie quarterback in the same class or a quarterback in your class in general, it’s a little extra. So I’m excited to go out there and get a chance to play against the Bears.”