FOXBOROUGH - When Jerod Mayo confirmed that the Patriots were splitting their quarterback reps 70/30 between starter Jacoby Brissett and backup Drake Maye, that raised eyebrows across the league. The front office execs and coaches I spoke to universally used the word "rare."
"If you're going to go that route," said one assistant coach, "you better be sure that the #1 is okay with it."
So, after his press availability on Wednesday, I approached Brissett in the locker room to get his feelings about the division of labor. I used the word 'unique' to describe the situation, and Brissett immediately stopped what he was doing and smiled. I repeated that word, and he agreed, "It is very unique," he said before adding, "I don't control that, to be honest with you, so, man, I just go about my business and try to just focus on myself as far as not too much, I guess, stressing about that."
From the day he signed with New England, Brissett knew he was likely to be a short-timer at the position. His previous relationship with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and his success during that one season in Cleveland (2022-23) made him a logical fit. The results here, in terms of production, have looked nothing like what it was with the Browns, but when you make a player-by-player comparison from that roster to this one, it's easy to understand why.
Publicly, the Pats have explained the breakdown of reps by saying they're only removing Brissett from scenarios and play calls that he would know well from his previous time with Van Pelt, But when you consider that every other organization is giving their starter 90 to 95% of the snaps in practice, is it possible that Brissett isn't getting enough time to play at his peak on game day?
"Yeah, I'm fine," he responded, pausing to find the right words. The 31-year-old veteran had a couple of stops and starts before eventually settling on this: "That's enough reps for me, that's for sure."
The truth is, it's probably not, and that's one reason this scenario sparked some conversation here and elsewhere. Now, that's not why the Pats haven't thrown for more than 149 yards in a single game, nor is it why they've scored 39 total points, which is their lowest three-game total since 2000. The offensive line has spouted more leaks than the Iraqi Navy. The receivers are unproven and, so far, uninspiring. But I can't rule out the possibility that his lack of practice snaps is, to some degree, at least a piece of the problem. Maybe a tiny piece, but a piece nonetheless, and quite frankly, there's no way to prove or disprove the notion.
Meanwhile, Maye got his first regular season playing time Thursday at MetLife, which was - predictably - messy. Sure, the 11-yard scramble was a good showing of his athleticism, and his throw to DeMario Douglas was a plus play. But Maye was quick to bail against pressure, should have had his first throw intercepted, and was slow with the football both decision-wise and release time on a couple of occasions. Van Pelt mentioned the day after that the rookie's footwork was "up-and-down."
"There were some things there to correct," he added. "That's usually the case the first time you're out for live bullets. It can change your feet and revert back. ... we're still a work in progress there."
I've been told that Maye is very evaluative of his own performance behind the scenes. Publicly, he's put a more positive spin on his play - dating back to the spring when we asked him about some of his flaws that were evident at North Carolina. So, when I asked him Wednesday about Van Pelt's assessment, Maye viewed it through a different prism.
"Um, yeah, I think I maybe hitched one time when I shouldn't have, an extra hitch that was maybe a little late," he told me. "But I thought my decisions were good, and other than that, (it was) a good learning experience to get some real, live reps."
Maye quickly praised the other guys in the huddle with him in that fourth quarter for "still putting a little bit of a drive together at the end. You know, (there was) not much to play for there (Pats trailed 24-3).
"I think there are some plays I'd wish I had back, some throws that I could have made, but at the same time, I had a couple of first downs made, and it was fun overall being out there."
Even after that uneven performance, the Pats and Mayo are comfortable enough with Maye that it's "not in our plans at this current time" to add a veteran quarterback as an added layer of depth and protection for their young signal caller.
"I would agree with that," said Mayo on being satisfied with Maye's practice performance, adding, "Let me just go back to provide clarification. It's 70-30 with the ones. Drake's getting a ton of reps on the show team, and he's approached that process the right way. He doesn't want to know what the defense is doing. He doesn't want to know the coverage. He's going out there, going through his reads, and we talk about that all the time. Just because you're on the show team doesn't mean you can't work on your fundamentals and your progressions, and he's done a good job of that."
However, as Maye remains in a reserve role, members of his draft class are already starting, and in Jayden Daniels' case for Washington, they are lighting it up. The comparison police have been out in full force this week after that razor-sharp showing from the Commanders' rookie Monday night in Cincinnati. It is no surprise that those same people conveniently ignore the Caleb Williams/Bears mess, Bo Nix's scattershot performance during the first two weeks, or the six years Daniels spent in college.
"It's easy to cherry-pick a guy who just completed 90% of the passes and say, 'How do you feel about that?' There's also the other end of the spectrum where a guy, I mean, they're not doing anything, whether it's on IR or they're having struggles," said Mayo. "So, it's on an individual basis. I will say that he's (Maye) done a good job staying locked in and preparing as if he is a starter, which I tell all the players to do that."
At some point, the Pats will turn this over to Maye, and when they do, they won't want to turn back. The hope is these experiences — that one series vs. the Jets, coupled with the practice reps — will build a foundation strong enough to weather the physical and mental storm the 22-year-old will face. In the meantime, the team will continue to lean on Brissett as the ultimate pro and sacrificial lamb, even in these unique circumstances.