The New England Patriots made a significant decision this week, elevating No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye to the starting quarterback role.
Maye, drafted to be the team’s franchise quarterback, will make his first NFL start on Sunday against the Houston Texans. His rise to the starting role means that Jacoby Brissett will now be the team’s backup.
Brissett struggled this season – largely due to the Patriots’ poor offensive line and lack of adequate pass protection – but he now finds himself on the bench after a 1-4 start to the season
On Thursday, Brissett gave his reaction to being benched after five games.
“I don’t think words can really describe how tough it is,” he said, according to Patriots reporter Doug Kyed.
It’s a situation that Brissett has faced multiple times in his career, as he’s primarily played a backup role. He began his career with New England as a third-string quarterback, behind both Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo.
He was a backup to Philip Rivers in Indianapolis, to Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, to Deshaun Watson in Cleveland, and to Sam Howell in Washington.
A move from Brissett to Maye seemed inevitable, as the Patriots are now looking to see what their top draft pick can do after weeks of preparation. Brissett was brought in to bridge the gap between Mac Jones and Drake Maye, and it seems that he’s fulfilled his role.
The team will now focus on developing Maye, while Brissett will be a veteran presence in the locker room to help the young quarterback adjust to life as a starter.
Some rookie quarterbacks, like Jayden Daniels and CJ Stroud, hit the ground running and are able to adjust to the professional ranks right away. Others, like Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield, may need time to get used to the NFL in their first few seasons.
We’ll find out which side of the spectrum applies to Maye this week, as he prepares to make his first start against an AFC playoff team and division winner from a season ago.
For Brissett, we’ll see how he handles the rest of the 2024 season in a backup role, and what his plans will be in 2025 and beyond.
