Patriots Off-Season News

[johnnygreen]

I have been of the mindset that Maye should sit most of the season because of that poor offensive line, and not developing bad habits as a result.

However, one thing is driving me crazy. Coach Mayo and this whole QB competition. I think he's flat out lying about there being a competition. I feel as if he's going to name Brissett as the starter, which seems like a predetermined position. I feel like Patriots fans have been patient with this rebuilding process, so why lie to us? Why not be upfront and share the long term plan with Maye? I don't know what's worse, Belichick not giving an answer, or Mayo answering any question (but it feels like he's lying).

I hope I'm wrong about Mayo. From what I've seen in the preseason, Maye is clearly the better player. But like I first mentioned, I would prefer Maye to sit and not get killed. If only the team had enough cap space to sign some offensive lineman.

[SparzWizard]

Looks like Drake Maye might just be starter for Week 1 with that Jacoby Brissett injury

[Neurotic Guy]

I have been of the mindset that Maye should sit most of the season because of that poor offensive line, and not developing bad habits as a result.

However, one thing is driving me crazy. Coach Mayo and this whole QB competition. I think he's flat out lying about there being a competition. I feel as if he's going to name Brissett as the starter, which seems like a predetermined position. I feel like Patriots fans have been patient with this rebuilding process, so why lie to us? Why not be upfront and share the long term plan with Maye? I don't know what's worse, Belichick not giving an answer, or Mayo answering any question (but it feels like he's lying).

I hope I'm wrong about Mayo. From what I've seen in the preseason, Maye is clearly the better player. But like I first mentioned, I would prefer Maye to sit and not get killed. If only the team had enough cap space to sign some offensive lineman.

I don?t know that he?s lying, I think it?s probably more that he doesn?t yet know what he?s doing.  I?ll give a lot of slack to Mayo given that it?s his first year and he?s only 38.  So much to learn and he?ll make mistakes he won?t make 5 years from now.

It?s possible that he?s got the general mindset that he?d rather Brissett start week one, but that he?s leaving the door slightly ajar for Maye to convince him otherwise.  So he calls it a competition which is neither a complete truth nor a complete lie.

[Goldstar88]

Looks like Drake Maye might just be starter for Week 1 with that Jacoby Brissett injury

Doesn?t sound like it.


New England Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett sustained an injury to his throwing shoulder in the first quarter of Sunday's 20-10 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders, with coach Jerod Mayo saying the veteran could have continued if the plan were to play him longer.

"I talked to him, but we'll see [Monday]. You always feel a little bit more sore the next day," Mayo said. "But he said he was good."

Brissett was pulled from the game after that, which Mayo said was the plan beforehand so that rookie Drake Maye could play through the end of the second quarter.

"He would have been able to continue," Mayo said of Brissett, who spent the rest of the night on the sideline.

If Brissett's injury turns out to be more significant, Mayo and his coaching staff will then assess if they are comfortable turning things over to Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Mayo wouldn't commit to that after Sunday's game, saying he needed to review the film.

"I would like to sit here and say 100 percent, he is our second-best quarterback on our roster right now," Mayo said.

[Donoghus]

I have been of the mindset that Maye should sit most of the season because of that poor offensive line, and not developing bad habits as a result.

However, one thing is driving me crazy. Coach Mayo and this whole QB competition. I think he's flat out lying about there being a competition. I feel as if he's going to name Brissett as the starter, which seems like a predetermined position. I feel like Patriots fans have been patient with this rebuilding process, so why lie to us? Why not be upfront and share the long term plan with Maye? I don't know what's worse, Belichick not giving an answer, or Mayo answering any question (but it feels like he's lying).

I hope I'm wrong about Mayo. From what I've seen in the preseason, Maye is clearly the better player. But like I first mentioned, I would prefer Maye to sit and not get killed. If only the team had enough cap space to sign some offensive lineman.

I don?t know that he?s lying, I think it?s probably more that he doesn?t yet know what he?s doing.  I?ll give a lot of slack to Mayo given that it?s his first year and he?s only 38.  So much to learn and he?ll make mistakes he won?t make 5 years from now.

It?s possible that he?s got the general mindset that he?d rather Brissett start week one, but that he?s leaving the door slightly ajar for Maye to convince him otherwise.  So he calls it a competition which is neither a complete truth nor a complete lie.

If he makes too many mistakes, there's no way he'll be here 5 years from now.

[Neurotic Guy]

I have been of the mindset that Maye should sit most of the season because of that poor offensive line, and not developing bad habits as a result.

However, one thing is driving me crazy. Coach Mayo and this whole QB competition. I think he's flat out lying about there being a competition. I feel as if he's going to name Brissett as the starter, which seems like a predetermined position. I feel like Patriots fans have been patient with this rebuilding process, so why lie to us? Why not be upfront and share the long term plan with Maye? I don't know what's worse, Belichick not giving an answer, or Mayo answering any question (but it feels like he's lying).

I hope I'm wrong about Mayo. From what I've seen in the preseason, Maye is clearly the better player. But like I first mentioned, I would prefer Maye to sit and not get killed. If only the team had enough cap space to sign some offensive lineman.

I don?t know that he?s lying, I think it?s probably more that he doesn?t yet know what he?s doing.  I?ll give a lot of slack to Mayo given that it?s his first year and he?s only 38.  So much to learn and he?ll make mistakes he won?t make 5 years from now.

It?s possible that he?s got the general mindset that he?d rather Brissett start week one, but that he?s leaving the door slightly ajar for Maye to convince him otherwise.  So he calls it a competition which is neither a complete truth nor a complete lie.

If he makes too many mistakes, there's no way he'll be here 5 years from now.

No, but he?ll be somewhere.  This is the danger of a young, first year HC - anyone in that position will need time to grow.  There?s got to be an assumption that mistakes will be made and whether to stick with him will depend on the volume and egregiousness of the mistakes and the presence of redeeming factors.

[Vermont Green]

I don't think Mayo should be given any more time to grow as a coach than any other NFL head coach.  He should be expected to coach up a competitive team.  I think the state of the team that he inherited will buy him some time.  He won't be blamed for poor performance here at first.  But I don't know what mistakes people think will be forgiven.  Coaches are judged on a more macro basis.  Is the team winning?  Does the team play like a well coached team?  Are they beating teams you expect them to beat?

Maybe the bottom line is whether or not the team is exceeding expectations.  Defining expectations is the tricky part of course.  Right now, expectations are low, but that won't last forever.  Mayo is not going to be fired because he played this guy at guard vs. tackle, or even for starting Brissett vs. Maye.  No one cares if you are winning or at least exceeding expectations, heading in the right direction.  If the team is not meeting or exceeding expectations, then every decision will be scrutinized, second guessed.

[Phantom255x]

Ultimately I don't actually think Mayo has as much power over the roster as we may think. Belichick obviously did because he was not only a legendary coach but also the actual GM of the team. I have a feeling Elliot Wolf and the Krafts are also heavily influential with this stuff and even guys like Van Pelt have a say in things. Mayo actually said this himself last week in an interview, that it's a collaborative effort and he doesn't make the final call on certain things.

[mobilija]

It?s gonna be hard to draw a lot of conclusions about Mayo the coach unless the team over achieves. The best thing for him would be some solid/great positional coaches. Find the next Dante Scarrnechia! That guy was legend, O-line was totally different when he was absent. Seriously, throw the checkbook at the best offensive line coach you can find.

Until then, I fear the offense will be in tatters. A couple years of high draft picks might help but the team really needs someone that can coach up the non-stars.

[A Future of Stevens]

The more I have seen of Maye, the more infatuated I become. He is so naturally talented. He is working on some of the technical parts (as most 21/22 year olds are) but he has so much arm talent.

As echoed above, the line is a mess. We have two starter level players. One is an old center, and the other is a great RG That is played out of position at RT (much less effective as a tackle.)

The Patriots will lose alot of games this year. They need to add a top 10 value tackle this year. They could have added Alt to this line and it would still be awful. I think the o line rebuild is going to take awhile.

[SparzWizard]

It's really wasted potential with a strong defense but a crap o-line. Just get an average line and maybe this team can make the playoffs and even make a deep playoff run.

Right now this line is putrid that our QBs have been getting hammered

[Neurotic Guy]

It's really wasted potential with a strong defense but a crap o-line. Just get an average line and maybe this team can make the playoffs and even make a deep playoff run.

Right now this line is putrid that our QBs have been getting hammered

I don?t think we can look at last night as representative of the line, but that said, there?s nothing about the preseason that leaves the impression that the line will be good enough to put a just turned 22 year old rookie behind it.  But Brissett will get hurt at some point taking big hits and Maye will be forced in. If Wolf can bolster the line with a trade - I guess that would help, but who is going trade a quality left tackle?

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I think they should've targeted established O-linemen in free agency. I think that as of now, whoever's at QB for NE is going to get regularly pummeled.

[Goldstar88]

I think they should've targeted established O-linemen in free agency. I think that as of now, whoever's at QB for NE is going to get regularly pummeled.

Feel like we?ve been saying that for the last 3 years.

[Phantom255x]

I think they should've targeted established O-linemen in free agency. I think that as of now, whoever's at QB for NE is going to get regularly pummeled.

Feel like we?ve been saying that for the last 3 years.

Honestly more like 5. Even in 2019 the Pats had Marshall Newhouse at LT and a few other mediocre options. Even Scarneccia that year couldn't really fix it (though they also lacked weapons, the offense around Brady was just not good in 2019).

2021 had good moments. Trent Brown was actually dialed in and it was a solid group. But that said it also had stretches where they were just bad including near the end of the season.

Their biggest issue is that they really have not hit on many draft picks in recent years in terms of the O-Line. Sow feels like the only "decent" option but he's just decent and unfortunately might be lost for this season already (non-contact injury). Mafi blows. And they blew through other picks like Hines, Stueber, etc. Cole Strange might actually be good BUT he's just injury prone.

I miss the days when our O-Line was a great center (Koppen, Stork, David Andrews), beefed up interior (the likes of Shaq Mason, Thuney) and solid tackles like Cannon, Trent Brown, Solder, etc.). Of course Scar helped too but the talent was there most years. And the depth was solid. Andrews and Onwenu are the only two I trust and we may need to look for an Andrews replacement after this season as well.