Patriots’ Jacoby Brissett Should Win The Team’s QB Competition

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett is preparing for a competition with Drake Maye, but should it really be much of one?

The Patriots signed Brissett in free agency in March and then selected Maye with the third overall pick of the NFL Draft last week.

New England is hopeful that Maye will be the quarterback of the future. That much is clear. But just when will Maye get on the field?

“That’s all out of my control, so I don’t really worry about that,” Brissett told reporters of a potential quarterback competition, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’m excited to have him on the team and the other guys as well that we drafted and picked up. I think it’s gonna be good. Competition brings out the best in all of us, so I’m excited about that part.”

Here’s the thing: the Pats don’t exactly present a cushy situation for Maye right now. They don’t have a true No. 1 receiver. They don’t have a good running game. Their offensive line is a mess.

Do they really want a repeat of the Mac Jones situation all over again?

Surely, they don’t, which is why the best course of action would be rolling with Brissett as the starter for most—if not all—of 2024.

As if the Patriots needed another example outside of Jones, a look down the road in New York at what happened with Zach Wilson should also provide more evidence on what can happen when you rush a young quarterback who simply isn’t ready.

It’s not just that New England lacks weapons, either. There has been plenty of chatter that Maye’s mechanics could use some work, much in the same way that Wilson had mechanical issues coming out of BYU.

Wouldn’t the Pats be better served sitting Maye behind Brissett for a year and allowing him to learn and absorb some much-needed information from him? It’s not like Brissett is a scrub. No, he isn’t a star, but he is a very capable quarterback with some skin in the game. Heck, he learned under Tom Brady. He should absolutely have some nuggets of wisdom to lend to Maye.

It should be noted, however, that Brissett doesn’t necessarily want to be a full-time mentor.

“Those things just happen because it’s not necessarily for just one specific player. It’s for the whole team,” Brissett said. “I’m seeking mentorship as well. So it’s an ongoing process. It’s just being a good teammate. I think that’s where it starts, and then everything else plays off of that.”

But he doesn’t have to be. He just has to go out there and do his job, and Maye can simply learn from watching him. I also highly doubt that Brissett is going to give Maye the cold shoulder. He may not be a 24/7 guide to the University of North Carolina product, but he will likely provide him with some advice and tips moving forward.

The Patriots should not make the same mistake with Maye that the Jets did with Wilson. They also should understand just how much Jones struggled in this very same offense.

Maye will get his chance to shine soon, but New England may want to take an old-school approach and let him sit for a year before it turns him loose.