Does Jerod Mayo's QB plan for preseason finale hint at winner of starter's competition?

The New England Patriots will begin their preseason finale with Jacoby Brissett under center, per head coach Jerod Mayo. New England will visit the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Aug. 25, which is ostensibly the last real litmus test for the Patriots' QB room.

Brissett has been listed as QB1 throughout the offseason and training camp, so the Patriots remain resistant to change. For the moment, at least...

Rookie Drake Maye has been gaining steam in recent weeks with strong practices and impressive live-game performances. There's a pretty clear incentive for New England to start the reigning No. 3 pick, assuming he's ready. Maye is widely viewed as the future of Patriots football and he arrives from North Carolina as one of the most touted QB prospects in recent history.

Maye appears to be picking up the offense quickly. Mayo recently said Maye "is ready to run a huddle," which is a sharp change in tune from his comments early in the preseason, when Brissett was propped up as the uncontested starter.

In less than a month, Brissett went from the "no doubt" starter to part of a wide-open competition. That is all because of Maye's hard work and rapid growth. Still, it's telling that Brissett persists as the nominal QB1 this late into the preseason.

Patriots are probably leaning toward Jacoby Brissett over Drake Maye

We can look to the Denver Broncos as a prime example of how another team handled its QB battle. Both Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham received starting reps this preseason before Sean Payton landed on his rookie quarterback. That is not how the Patriots have handled Maye's reps. He is coming off the bench behind Brissett, full stop.

That doesn't mean we can rule out a last-second change of heart. Mayo has certainly left open the possibility of starting Maye in Week 1. Alas, Mayo is also a new coach looking to build a winning culture and establish his reputation in the league. There is a certain sense of security tied to Brissett's experience. We have seen him start NFL games (and succeed at a reasonably high level). Maye is a relatively unknown quantity.

It's hard to accurately predict how a 21-year-old rookie will translate to the next level. Maye has all the athleticism and arm talent needed to carve out a long and successful career, but he dealt with his share of mistakes at UNC. Maye will need diligent polishing from the player development staff and a patient hand.

New England should be in no particular rush to win games this season — even with Brissett, we're talking about a bottom-five team here — but we have seen this song and dance before. A talented rookie starts his season behind an uninspiring vet, then takes over after a few early-season losses. That is probably the path New England will follow. Start with Brissett, confirm that this team is destined for the bottom of the standings, then let Maye play out the season in a low-stakes environment.