NFL Rumors: Drake Maye patience, Saints QB competition, Patrick Peterson befuddled

Training camp will be here before you know it. As we have arrived at the dog days of summer, NFL news becomes less and less available in the lead-up to the season. August will be here soon enough, but now is the time to speculate, pontificate and try to figure some very important things out, such as Drake Maye's progress, the New Orleans Saints' quarterback situation and Patrick Peterson's career.

The New England Patriots used a top-three pick on the former North Carolina quarterback with all signs pointing to him starting at some point. It may be sooner rather than later, but he may have to wait his turn. While Derek Carr will be the man once again this year in New Orleans, it remains to be seen if Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler will be his No. 2. And what about Peterson being unsigned?

All three of these questions will be answered at some point in the coming weeks and months. Right now, NFL teams like the Patriots and Saints are trying to figure out what their training camp program will look like ahead of the season. Peterson will surely latch onto a team, but we have to accept he is in the twilight of his illustrious Pro Football Hall of Fame-worthy career. This cannot be it for him, right?

Let's start by unpacking Peterson's thoughts on his lengthy free agency this deep into the offseason.

Patrick Peterson wonders why many great defensive backs are unsigned

It has been a great ride for Patrick Peterson, but we have to wonder how many more seasons the former perennial Pro Bowl cornerback has left in the tank. While he has stated that he will be ready whenever his next team gives him a call, he wonders why other great defensive backs such as Quandre Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, Xavien Howard and Justin Simmons remained unsigned as well.

He touched on this during a recent episode of All Things Covered with his cousin Bryant McFadden.

“What do you think it is about the corners and the safety market at this day and age? We know it’s a passing league, right? Why do you see so many high-caliber guys who’ve played at a high level — defensive backs — still free agents right now?”

Peterson speculates that it may have something to do with a new NFL rule about vested veterans' salaries are fully guaranteed if they are on an NFL roster before Week 1. Since teams are always looking out for what is best for them financially, this has to be a primary reason why he, Diggs, Gilmore, Howard and Simmons all remain unsigned. He is right in that this is a passing league.

Here is the entire episode of All Things Covered where Peterson talks about these defensive backs.

I would venture to guess that Peterson has about a season or two left in the tank to go win a ring.

New Orleans Saints have a backup quarterback battle on their hands

While Derek Carr is obviously going to be the New Orleans Saints starting quarterback for another season, we may see a different face serve as his backup. ESPN's Katherine Terrell touched on the backup quarterback battle brewing between second-year pro Jake Haener out of Fresno State and fifth-round rookie Spencer Rattler out of South Carolina. They will split reps with the twos and threes.

This comes on the heels of former backup Jameis Winston signing with the Cleveland Browns in his free agency. While head coach Dennis Allen has known Carr for a decade dating back to the quarterback getting drafted out of Fresno State by the then-Oakland Raiders, this is a make-or-break season for the franchise. A bad showing or even a third-place finish in the NFC South could be it.

Rattler has the higher upside as a former five-star quarterback coming out of high school, but Haener was the straw that stirred the drink at Fresno State under Kalen DeBoer, and later Jeff Tedford. The good news is the better quarterback will emerge throughout the season and training camp. The bad news is even with Carr playing well, New Orleans may not come close to winning the division this year.

Replacing Winston is not going to be easy, but the race between Haener and Rattler should be fun.

Drake Maye may start the year as Jacoby Brissett's backup quarterback

With the complexities of the West Coast offense that new New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt wants to run, it may be in the franchise's best interest to have Jacoby Brissett be the Week 1 starter with Drake Maye waiting in the wing. It seems as though Maye has already surpassed Bailey Zappe on the depth chart, but surpassing Brissett will not come easily.

We all know that this is Maye's team going forward. One of the reasons I loved the draft pick of him at No. 3 was the hiring of Van Pelt to be the Patriots' offensive coordinator. Jerod Mayo may end up being a CEO-type of head coach in the end, but keep in mind that he cut his teeth on defense as a former star linebacker for the team. Rushing Maye out there could prove problematic for the team.

Truth be told, this is what the Patriots should do. Brissett should start at least a quarter of the team's games this season before eventually giving way to Maye. This is a rebuilding season in New England. While Brissett may have trade value on the open market, especially if a starting quarterback on another team gets hurt, New England must be cognizant of Maye's growing development throughout.

Maye will be starting games in New England before you know it, but there is no need to rush him.