Drake Maye was the main reason anyone tuned into the preseason game between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers. The debut of the No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick had fans hyped.
Maye's debut lasted six plays.
The Patriots gave presumptive starter Jacoby Brissett and their QB of the future one drive each. Then they brought in Bailey Zappe, to the dismay of everyone at Gilette Stadium and beyond.
Bailey Zappe replaces Drake Maye and enters the game to a loud flurry of “Boo’s” 😳pic.twitter.com/CgxtgrNHNk
— Carlos Talks Pats (@LosTalksPats) August 8, 2024
Maybe some fans were booing Zappe directly, but it seems more likely the boo birds were out because of Maye's absence. He was the headliner and he barely got any run.
To be fair, the weather was bad. It's also possible the Patriots didn't want Maye out there behind a second-team offensive line. Whatever the reasoning, it pissed people off.
NFL Twitter figuratively boos Patriots for denying Drake Maye preseason reps
No more Drake Maye??? pic.twitter.com/SXT5q7Uvzm
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 8, 2024
Only 1 drive for Drake Maye? pic.twitter.com/cGTpmy600g
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) August 8, 2024
Only one drive for Drake Maye is sickening. Wow.
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) August 8, 2024
Brian Hoyer getting more screen time than Drake Maye! What is this??? https://t.co/zN8LN2wHjd
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) August 8, 2024
Will be interesting to hear Jerod Mayo's explanation but I'm confused/surprised at Drake Maye only getting one series.
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) August 8, 2024
If you're confident Jacoby Brissett is going to start, don't you want Maye to get as many snaps now as possible?
Maybe the rain played into it? The bad O-line?
Preseason games can be rough viewing whether you're a fan of the teams playing or not. Specific players are the ones who draw eyeballs. Maye was that guy on Thursday night. He went 2-for-3 for 19 yards with both completions coming on screens. So it wasn't exactly a showcase.
Being cautious with Maye has some merit. The last thing New England wants is for him to pick up an injury that curtails his development. Having said that, teams have to find a balance between protecting their QBs and giving them valuable reps when they can.
The current plan is to have Brissett start, so Maye can't expect to see very many live reps outside of the preseason. At least not in the early stages of the campaign. No one expected him to play the whole game, but letting him get in couple of drives would have brought value.
In a week, the Patriots will host the Eagles in their second preseason game. With any luck, the weather will be better and Maye will get his chance to shine.