The New England Patriots’ preseason opener victory against the Carolina Panthers has again fueled speculation about Drake Maye starting this season. While the rookie third-overall pick made little impact for both external and internal reasons, Joe Milton, selected in the sixth round (193rd pick), balled out. Naturally, many now believe the team has a Robert Griffin III-Kirk Cousins situation on their hands. But not Chase Daniel.
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The former Saints QB initially posted a brief video of Milton evading several defenders and reversing field, showcasing his mobility with a solid gain on the ground. Daniel also suggested in the caption that perhaps the reports about Milton outperforming Maye weren’t biased after all.
However, after the game concluded, Daniel seemed to have changed his mind and took to X (formerly Twitter) with a 16-minute breakdown of the QB plays. He also added a conclusion comparing the Maye-Milton situation to the Commanders’ Griffin III-Cousins situation from 2015:
“Joe Milton played really well. But is this like a Kirk Cousins-RGIII situation? I don’t think so. I don’t think there’s enough evidence for what Drake Maye put on film.”
In his breakdown, Daniel highlighted that Maye entered the field under wet conditions and played three passes in one series. The former North Carolina QB basically had limited opportunities, facing a mix of first and second-string defenders.
But the rookie still managed to maintain his footing, completing two out of his three attempts and tallying 19 yards. Considering all the factors, it doesn’t seem so bad.
Conversely, Milton spent ample time behind the scrimmage line after entering the field just before the end of the third quarter. While he did electrify the crowd and fans online, it’s worth noting that the rookie out of Tennessee only faced lower-tier defenders.
Thus, there isn’t yet enough evidence for fans and pundits alike to determine a clear winner between the two. That said, Milton completed 4 out of 6 passes for 54 yards and scored a 38-yard touchdown pass to JaQuae Jackson.
Did New England Patriots waste an opportunity with Drake Maye?
Jacoby Brissett, likely the starter for the Patriots this season, started the game against the Panthers but, like Maye, played only one series. He was then replaced by Maye, who handed off the ball three times out of his six snaps played.
In the remaining three snaps, he completed two simple throws — a screen pass to Antonio Gibson and a quick swing pass to Kevin Harris. His drop-back throw, however, missed the mark and went too high.
Not much of a showing, but the rookie was then abruptly replaced by Bailey Zappe, who was even booed by the crowd. It was quite evident that they wanted more of Maye, who is highly anticipated to change the trajectory of the franchise in the post-Tom Brady era.
So, should the Patriots have given Maye more snaps to play?
As it turns out, it was the team’s plan all along to play the QB for just one series, as revealed by head coach Jerod Mayo. And it wasn’t like the weather was in their favor.
Moreover, it’s important to note that Maye was protected by mostly low-tier offensive linemen, which could have increased his risk of injury.
As Mayo stated in the post-game presser, there are still two more preseason games, which will give the former Tar Heels QB ample opportunity to solidify his place on the roster. These games may well determine if he will be the second or third-string QB for the 2024 season.
