Surprise Drake Maye MRI could force Patriots to regress after rookie’s debut

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye had his ups and downs in his first NFL start against the Houston Texans in Week 6. Still, he only needed one game to show why he should've been under center sooner instead of veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett. Unfortunately for the team's fans, the latest update on the former may force them to reverse course and give the latter another shot.

The Boston Globe's Ben Volin noted that Maye "banged up his knee last Sunday" during the 41-21 loss to the Texans. Moreover, the young signal-caller reportedly and ominously went for an MRI after practice on Wednesday.

As Volin indicates, Maye's situation is worth monitoring as the Patriots prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars across the pond in Week 7. But despite the ailment, the 2024 No. 3 overall draft pick fully participated in New England's training session.

Surprise Drake Maye MRI could force Patriots to regress after rookie’s debut

Maye ostensibly having no limitations during practice on Wednesday is encouraging. Nonetheless, the need for imaging makes the knee issue somewhat concerning, at the very least. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, Patriots Nation.

Suddenly, it's unclear if Maye will continue to operate with no restraints ahead of the upcoming clash with the Jaguars. Any downgrade in activity throughout the week wouldn't bode well for his availability.

Considering the Pats have to travel out of the country to face the Jags, the timing of the injury news couldn't be much worse. Depending on the severity, a six-plus hour flight from Massachusetts to London could increase swelling. Does New England feel comfortable putting their franchise passer on the plane knowing this?

That said, Patriots supporters ought to brace themselves for the possibility of Brissett returning under center. As soon as New England thought they had moved off the incumbent starter for Maye, tragedy struck.

While the Texans shellacked the Patriots, Maye led New England's offense to its highest single-game scoring output this season. The 22-year-old completed 20-of-33 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, also taking four sacks in the process. Furthermore, he was the squad's leading rusher, running for 38 yards on five carries.

Hopefully, for everyone's sake, we don't have to see a Brissett-led Patriots scoring unit again this year.