Patriots fans, don’t be surprised if Drake Maye isn’t under center come Week 1 of the 2024 season.
With rookie minicamps underway, it’s Jacoby Brissett — not New England’s top draft pick — that is favored to be the Pats’ starting quarterback when the NFL kicks off in four months.
Brissett, who signed with the Patriots on a one-year, $8 million deal in March, is -200 at DraftKings Sportsbook to start over Maye.
The 31-year-old veteran, who was selected by the franchise in the third round of the 2016 draft, returns to New England after serving as a backup quarterback for the Commanders last season.
Maye, whom the Patriots selected with the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft, is +150 to be the team’s QB1 in Week 1.
In two seasons at North Carolina, Maye threw for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns on 64.7 percent passing with 16 interceptions while also rushing for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns, making himself one of the top quarterback prospects in a loaded class and the no-doubt signal-caller of the future in Foxborough.Â
Although Brissett is the betting favorite now, there are some within the franchise that believe Maye can win the job out of training camp, according to the Boston Herald.
While New Englanders will surely be disappointed if Maye isn’t given the reins right away, oddsmakers are assuming he’ll get plenty of playing time in his rookie season.
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FanDuel Sportsbook has Maye’s full season passing yards over/under at 2650.5, indicating that Brissett may just be a stopgap at quarterback for the Pats early on.
If he’s able to get anywhere close to that number, Maye will be on the field quite a bit.
Maye is also a contender for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award at +2000, which is tied for the sixth-best odds in the league.