The New England Patriots did what they needed to do in the 2024 NFL Draft. And that was to take a quarterback.
Drake Maye is now a member of the team and he provided a first glimpse at his abilities during rookie minicamp on Saturday. But in the words of head coach Jerod Mayo, "he has a lot to work on."
And in order to get the most out of the rookie quarterback, many believe that the best option would be to sit him for the rookie year and allow him to learn from Jacoby Brissett while his game evolves to fit the NFL.
Drew Bledsoe, who was the only quarterback in Patriots history to be selected higher than Maye (No. 1 overall in 1993), provided his opinion on this when speaking on FanDuel's Up & Adams Show.
"It's always a dilemma, right? Because when you're drafted that high, by definition, you're going to a team that's not very good," Bledsoe said when asked about how this relates to his experience. "I preferred to play and learn by being under fire. I think you can make a case for either decision.
"I think it's really going to come down to how he looks in training camp, and if he looks like he's ready to go. And I don't know Drake, but then it comes down to, what's his mental make up? Can he weather the storm of getting knocked around and not having success early without shaking his confidence. Or is it going to be better for him to sit and watch for a little bit."
However, along with bringing in Jerod Mayo as head coach, they also made a vital additional to the offense. Alex Van Pelt will serve as offensive coordinator for the Patriots this season, being the best for Maye's development.
"One thing that he has that's very, very significant going for him is Alex Van Pelt," Bledsoe said. "So Alex, we were together in Buffalo for a few years and no disrespect to Zo, Alex from a backup standpoint, he was the one that had the best football mind. And he also has just this incredibly calm demeanor. He played quarterback in the league for a decade and he's 6-foot and chubby, so obviously he had to win with his brain.
"So I really think that Alex is one of those special quarterback whisperer kind of dudes that's going to help him."
So at this moment, Bledsoe can't say whether it would be in Maye's best interest to start or sit. However, having Van Pelt to help him adapt to the NFL is the best chance he has to be ready to go and help lead the team back to victory.
"I think that they'll take all factors into account," Bledsoe said. "What's our best chance to win right now, but also, what's best for this kid's long-term future, and in turn, the future of the franchise."
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