Struggling Patriots turn to first-round pick Drake Maye for first start

The New England Patriots plan to give Drake Maye his first professional start in the first round in hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett. NFL Network reported this on Tuesday.

Maye has made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets, going 4 for 8 with 22 yards.

Brissett is 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He hasn’t thrown for more than 150 net yards in a game in the 2024 campaign.

Maye will get his chance to start when the Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.

The Patriots have struggled to find a serviceable quarterback since Tom Brady left in 2020 after leading the franchise to six Super Bowl championships. They’ve tried veterans like Cam Newton and draft picks like Mac Jones, but have only appeared in one playoff game, a loss since Brady’s departure.

Three years after selecting Jones 15th overall in the 2021 draft and immediately putting him in the starting lineup, only to give up on him in his third season, the Patriots went back to the draft and selected Maye No. 3 overall.

But with the Patriots struggling in almost every area — including the offensive line — coach Jerod Mayo stuck with Brissett instead of putting the North Carolina rookie in a hopeless and potentially dangerous situation. For four weeks, Mayo said he stayed with Brissett. But his tone changed on Monday when he said: “We have to look at every unit and every single player and figure out how we use this squad to go out and win games.”