Coming off a 4-13 season, there is no doubt that the New England Patriots are currently in a rebuilding stage. With the addition of new head coach Jerod Mayo, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, and a new quarterback, Drake Maye, the Patriots are hoping for a strong start in 2024. But will they be able to, especially with what has been recently called their ‘worst‘ offense?

In the latest talk on Sunday Night Football on NFL, NBC on August 26, 2024, Chris Simms and Connor Rogers evaluated the current Patriots’ roster and explained why it might take the franchise some more years to build a strong team. During the show, Bill Belichick’s former assistant, Simms, noted that despite some setbacks (like Jacoby Brissett getting hurt in the last preseason game), Maye has shown clear progress throughout the summer.

Particularly in his mechanics, which improved from the first preseason game to the most recent one. However, according to both the hosts, the bigger concern lies with the offensive line, which they both agree is one of the “worst” they have seen in a while.

Talking about the Patriots’ needing time, Simms said, “This is going to take a little bit. It’s definitely, I think it’s arguably one of the worst rosters in football….and I don’t mean that as disrespect and I know they didn’t expect to be the best roster anyways. They’re willing to take a step back to take two steps forward. Going forward here, I think that’s what they’re looking at.”

Simms even pointed out some players who evidently struggled on the gridiron including Michael Onwenu. He said that Onwenu is built to be a guard but is being forced to play tackle because of how weak the Patriots’ line is overall. Well, this argument was also supported earlier by Zoltán Buday of PFF, who wrote after the Pats got ranked 28 in offense: “The Patriots would rank even lower (in offense) had they not re-signed Mike Onwenu, who has been arguably their best offensive lineman, to play right tackle.”

Additionally, as per Simms, this issue is also compounded by the lack of depth and the absence of key players like Matthew Judon, who was recently traded away. He agreed that while Maye is “a light at the end of the tunnel or a silver lining certainly,” the overall state of the team might actually be worse than expected.

Hence, the Patriots are clearly reassembling, but Maye’s last night performance (“completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown for New England in their 20-10 loss”) against the Commanders, provides some hope for the future.

Should Drake Maye only be the starter without any ifs and buts?

Drake Maye has quickly become the name on everyone’s lips as the Patriots gear up for the 2024 NFL season. Heading into Week 1 against the Bengals, all eyes are on the rookie quarterback, especially after head coach Jerod Mayo called him “the second-best QB on the roster.” So, will the young QB get the chance he has always wanted?

Currently, Maye has been competing with veteran QB Jacoby Brissett for the starting job. Even according to Mayo, “Early on he was trying to defer and just be a good teammate.” But now he is “competing to be the starting quarterback.” And now that Brissett has been hit with an injury, there is a chance of him becoming the starter. So that means, luck is indeed favoring the quarterback.

But that’s not all for the 21-year-old! What sets Maye apart isn’t just his talent – it’s his attitude as well. This is evident from his conversation with the media when they asked him about his personal performance. While answering them, Maye shifted focus to his teammates, always using words like “us” instead of “me.” It’s surprising for sure, to see that kind of leadership in a rookie.

Not only that! A proper QB role is also seen in his recent viral play. In the final preseason game, his cleat was stepped up by his own teammate, and still Maye kept his cool. Now in this situation, it’s obvious many would panic. But Maye didn’t worry about his shoe, and rolled out, making a crucial 14-yard pass. This has built his image as “the future GOAT” in the Pats’ fans’ eyes. In fact, he also impressed coach Mayo, who too believes, “It’s true competition and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby.” So, this means there is a high chance of Maye playing as the starter in Week 1.