First-year head coach Jerod Mayo stated earlier this week that veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett offers the New England Patriots (1-2) their “best chance” for a victory against the San Francisco 49ers (1-2) this Sunday.
However, on Friday, Patriots columnist Karen Guregian from MassLive reported that rookie Drake Maye is “definitely gaining ground” and could potentially overtake Brissett on the depth chart for New England’s Week 5 home game against the Miami Dolphins on October 6.
Guregian explained that with waiver wire pickup Demontrey Jacobs set to start as the left tackle against the 49ers due to knee injuries affecting both Vederian Lowe and rookie Caedan Wallace, the Patriots are unlikely to make any immediate changes. Yet, with Lowe approaching a return and left guard Sidy Sow likely to play this week, the offensive line might become stable enough to allow Maye a starting opportunity in the near future.
Although Brissett led the Patriots to a surprising 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, New England has since experienced two consecutive losses, including a disappointing 24-3 defeat to the New York Jets in Week 3. According to ESPN, the Patriots currently rank last in the NFL with an average of 102.0 passing yards per game and 31st in scoring with an average of 13.0 points per contest.
Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald suggested earlier this week that Mayo is considering starting Maye despite the struggles of the Patriots’ offensive line. Chad Graff from The Athletic expressed his support for playing Maye sooner rather than later. Additionally, Mark Daniels from MassLive noted that several Patriots defensive assistants praised Maye’s development this week.
The signs indicate that a transition to the rookie might occur sooner than many anticipated. Guregian remarked in her Friday piece that the wait for a change may not be as long as expected.
As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Patriots as 10.5-point underdogs against the 49ers. If that game turns into a blowout, it could mark Brissett’s final start for the Patriots for the time being.
