Jerod Mayo gives Drake Maye all the motivation needed to win Patriots QB1 job

The New England Patriots are in a state of constant evaluation. This is a new staff with a largely inexperienced and unproven roster. Jerod Mayo has never coached at this level before. It will take time for everybody to get on the same page and to build up a measure of stability.

As such, it should come as no surprise that New England is already backing down from its original plans at quarterback.

Going into training camp, Jacoby Brissett was clearly delineated as the Patriots' starting QB. Drake Maye, the reigning No. 3 pick, was slated in the backup role, with Bailey Zappe still kicking around the QB3 slot for good measure. There didn't appear to be much doubt as to who would line up under center in Week 1. Brissett was the Patriots' man.

Flash forward to the third week of preseason action, and Maye is steadily gaining steam in his bid to unseat Brissett. The 21-year-old has been the Patriots' best quarterback in live action. It's only the preseason, so grain of salt, but Brissett went 3-for-7 for 17 yards and an interception against the Philadelphia Eagles last Thursday.

Maye, on the other hand, went 6-for-11 for 47 yards. He also scrambled for 15 yards and his first NFL touchdown, showcasing the incredible athleticism that put him on draft radars to begin with.

Now, the Patriots are subtly changing their public messaging, with Mayo admitting that he believes Maye can lead the offense on day one.

"One hundred percent, I think he is ready to run a huddle."

Patriots pour more stock into Drake Maye QB1 campaign ahead of regular season

The dust has not settled on this competition, to be clear. Mayo also said that Brissett "is still QB1" heading into Sunday's throwdown with No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. We should know the victor by Monday, with Sunday's game operating as the tiebreaker in a heavyweight brawl.

It's noteworthy, of course, that Brissett occupies pole position despite his preseason struggles. That boils down to experience. We have seen Brissett operate successfully as a starting QB in the past. He is broadly viewed as dependable, if not particularly spectacular.

On the other hand, Brissett has never been on a team that is above .500 when he starts. He barely played last season on a bad Commanders team, even when Sam Howell was causing mass hair loss throughout the nation's capital. There is plainly limited upside with Brissett. He has long been a great stopgap, but there's a difference between a dependable emergency option and a good full-time starter.

In all honesty, the Patriots are going to lose the majority of their games this season. It doesn't really matter who lines up under center. That should swing the pendulum in Maye's favor. If New England can't contend, there is an incentive to develop young talent and plant seeds for the future.

There is downside to overextending rookies on a bad team — New England doesn't want to destory Maye's confidence by throwing him to the wolves unprepared behind a crappy offensive line — but Maye has looked the part in preseason. If he can competently pull the strings and manage the Patriots' huddle, there is very little reason to start Brissett.

New England isn't pretending very hard at this point. It's only a matter of time until Maye is named the starter. It could happen as soon as this weekend.