Drake Maye’s struggles during the New England Patriots’ first OTA practice open to the media can be attributed to several factors. It’s important to remember that these are early-offseason practices, and struggles are common for quarterbacks, especially rookies or those learning new systems. I hate to say it, but Maye struggling is not that much of a surprise. 

Here are five reasons why Drake Maye likely struggled:

 1. Learning a New Offensive System: Maye is adapting to a completely new offensive scheme under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. This involves learning new terminology, play calls, reads, and timing with new teammates. This is a significant adjustment from his college offense, and it naturally leads to hesitation and miscommunications as he processes information. It appears that Maye was also holding the ball too long while in the pocket. 

2. High Level of Defensive Intensity and Talent: The Patriots’ defense, particularly their secondary, appeared to be in mid-season form. Christian Gonzalez, in particular, was a standout, intercepting Maye twice. Facing a talented and aggressive defense, especially one that might be more advanced in its installation than the offense at this stage, will challenge any quarterback, regardless of experience.

3. Miscommunications with New Teammates: OTAs are the first real opportunity for quarterbacks to develop chemistry and timing with their receivers and other offensive players. Maye’s interceptions, including one reportedly due to a miscommunication with Pop Douglas, highlight the challenges of getting on the same page with new targets and understanding their tendencies.

4. Testing the Limits and Learning from Mistakes: OTAs are a prime environment for quarterbacks to push the boundaries and experiment with throws they might not attempt in a regular season game. Coaches often encourage quarterbacks to “test” tight windows and see what they can get away with. Maye’s struggles could be a product of him trying to fit balls into difficult spots to understand what works and what doesn’t against NFL-caliber defenders. It’s better to make these mistakes now when the reps don’t count.

5. Reverting to Old Habits (e.g., the Hitch): While he settled in later, it was obvious that there was a hitch in Maye’s throwing motion, again. It is a characteristic from his college days and it was “back and pronounced” early in the practice according to observers. This indicates that under pressure or when processing information quickly, he might revert to older habits that need to be refined for NFL consistency. This is part of the ongoing development process for young quarterbacks. In many ways, year two is more important than year one for a quarterback. It is when we truly see how much they have developed.