It’s a good thing that the New England Patriots are currently rebuilding under a new Head Coach and a newly built offensive roster. There is no pressure on either Drake Maye or the presumed starter, Jacoby Brissett, as it would be impossible for either of them to succeed otherwise, given that the team is still displaying glaring issues.
Greg Rosenthal was joined by Nick Shook during an episode of NFL Daily to talk about training camp takeaways for all 16 AFC teams. While going through the AFC East, they talked about the Patriots and how they are still far away from competing on the topmost level.
While the panelists had concerns about the Patriots’ offense, they particularly singled out the offensive line, which they felt remains unstable and lacking in depth. Chukwuma Okorafor, Caedan Wallace, and Vederian Lowe are their three tackles, and all three have underperformed and spent time on the sidelines. Meanwhile, the backup, Calvin Anderson, has also struggled to stay fit.
Playing as an offensive lineman in the NFL is challenging, especially when protecting a rookie QB. Hence, these players not being up to the task might hinder Maye’s development.
The offense, including Maye, has improved over the past few weeks after some initial struggles. The receiving core has started to take shape, and JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton could lose their spots on the roster.
Currently, K.J. Osborn, Pop Douglas, and rookies Javon Baker and Jay’lyn Polk occupy the top four wideout spots. Baker has been a standout performer during camp and has been praised for his route running and separation. On the other hand, Maye has shown flashes of his talent, but he’s bound to struggle if he starts games because the rest of the team appears to be struggling.
Well, even though the Patriots are trying their best to get up to speed, a former player believes it might be too little too late.
Patriots Criticised by a Former Player For Being Behind the Schedule
Although the New England Patriots have made some progress during this off-season, they remain far behind the curve. With the season about to start in less than five weeks, every practice is crucial for them to get match-ready.
Hence, taking a day off in the middle of the week seems odd according to former Tight End Christian Fauria. NESN reported that Fauria was amazed to see the Patriots not working last Wednesday and felt they should have done something meaningful.
Meanwhile, even though Maye has improved a lot, he still has signs of panic in his game. Despite his obvious traits, he is still raw, and given it’s his first training camp, there is nothing to worry about. However, that means he won’t be a starter, as this will be the year of personal growth and learning how to play the position in the NFL.
While he adjusts to life in the league and continues the learning process, the Patriots have a year to fix the glaring issues on the roster. Making your rookie play behind a questionable O-Line is a recipe for disaster.
The New England Patriots are not expected to win many games this season, so Mayo can use this year to prove his capability in roster building and leading a team in the future.