September 20, 2024

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo was non-committal when asked if he would consider a quarterback change heading into Week 4 of the 2024 season. "I don't know," Mayo told the media after Thursday's loss to the New York Jets. "We talk about it every single week: you're competing for a job. We'll get together as a coaching staff." Mayo pulled Jacoby Brissett in the waning minutes of a three-score game to get some reps for Drake Maye, who made his NFL debut. Maye led a solid drive, completing four of eight passes for 22 yards, rushing for 12 yards, and taking two sacks. He had the Patriots close to the end zone, but time expired before the Patriots could score. There were certainly some pros and cons from his limited sample size, and the biggest factor to consider is the offensive line. New England's pass protection has looked dreadful this season, so New England might not want to expose its No. 3 pick to tremendous pressure. That's especially true for Week 4 when the Patriots face a strong San Francisco 49ers defensive front. If Mayo wants to keep his young quarterback healthy and focus on his development, he'll likely roll out Brissett as his starter. But if the first-year head coach is ready to turn the page to a new chapter and throw Maye into the fire, that's well within the realm of possibilities. We should get more clarity on the Patriots' quarterback situation in the coming days.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Doug Kyed