According to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, the Patriots do not plan on “redshirting” rookie quarterback Drake Maye. 

Wolfe recently spoke with Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo who told him that while Jacoby Brissett has a leg up on the other quarterbacks because he played under Alex Van Pelt in 2022 in Cleveland, it will still be a competition. The best players will compete to play. Maye will not be “held back.” 

Mayo said the same thing last Thursday night after the Patriots selected Maye third overall. 

“I think to go back to Bill, I don’t think many rookies are ready to just jump in and play. At the end of the day, our philosophy is the best players will play. Coming in as a rookie, hopefully he’s a sponge. A lot of good players in that locker room.

Mayo continued: “Look, Jacoby understands, he’s a mentor. He’s very smart, has great leadership skills, and hopefully Drake can learn something from him, as well. I would say we’re going to compete all spring, we’re going to compete during training camp, and the best player will start.”

So while some think it might be better for Maye long term to bring him along slowly, the Patriots appear to be willing to give him a chance to win the job in training camp. Regardless of what anyone thinks, Maye should have a chance to win the job in camp. Mac Jones did in 2021 and he beat out Cam Newton. The Patriots would be doing themselves a disservice if they did not let him compete for to be the starter and anointed Brissett. 

Maye will be allowed to compete for the job but Mayo is not putting a timeline on when he could potentially start. 

“They try to put time tables on it, but you just never know when that time is going to be. If you look over the history of the league, sometimes guys, they can go in there and start game 1 and have a Pro Bowl season. Then other guys they sit for two or three years and they have a great season or great career, but it can also go the other way. You sit for two years and have a terrible career.

Mayo added: “I think it’s hard to really put a timeline on when he will be ready. Once again, look, I don’t want you guys to forget about the quarterbacks that we have on our roster, and it’s about competing and it’s about going out there every day striving to get better.”

Maye’s development will be left up to Van Pelt, Ben McAdoo and T.C McCartney. Mayo assembled a strong group of offensive coaches who have a history of developing quarterbacks. They will get Maye ready to play. The question is, when will that be?

Based on what Mayo is saying, it could be earlier than we think.