Drake Maye anticipated to begin Patriots’ season finale towards Payments

Even with the No. 1 decide within the 2025 NFL Draft hanging within the stability, don’t count on to see Drake Maye on the sideline at the beginning of the Patriots’ season finale towards the Payments.

Regardless of Jerod Mayo’s obscure feedback on Monday about New England’s QB depth chart vs. Buffalo — plus Maye being listed on the damage report each Wednesday and Thursday — offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt made issues clear on Thursday in regards to the workforce’s plans for Maye in Week 18. 

“Drake seemed good (Wednesday). He’s able to go. He’ll be beginning the sport for positive,” Van Pelt stated Thursday. “I’m excited to get one other alternative … extra alternatives for him to develop.

“This provides him a chance to exit and play a workforce we simply performed two weeks in the past. Have a superb understanding of what they did in our sport and see how properly we reply on this sport.”

In fact, simply because Maye begins doesn’t imply he’ll be the one to shut out Sunday’s sport, particularly if New England runs the danger of dropping out on that No. 1 decide by beating a Buffalo workforce seemingly set to play its backups for a majority — if not all — of Sunday’s matchup. 

Whereas Van Pelt acknowledged that fellow rookie QB Joe Milton III took some snaps with the offense on Wednesday and may very well be in line for a backup position on Sunday, the OC didn’t sign that Milton will certainly step in for Maye sooner or later through the sport. 

“We’re enjoying the sport to win the sport for positive. We’ll see the way it goes from that time. However sure, that’s the intention,” Van Pelt stated when requested if the Patriots plan on enjoying Maye for all the sport. 

Maye’s well being might be price monitoring coming into Sunday afternoon, particularly with the rookie tabbed as “questionable” on the damage report for the second day in a row because of a right-hand damage. 

“He’s a competitor. He desires to play. He’s nonetheless growing, so he’ll be able to go,” Mayo stated of his QB on Wednesday, as transcribed by The Boston Globe’s Christopher Value. “Drake is our beginning quarterback. If he’s wholesome and able to go, as we undergo this week of observe, then he’ll play.”

Talking on Wednesday, Maye burdened that he hopes to play on Sunday and shut out his promising rookie season on a excessive observe. 

“I’m getting ready like I’m the starter. I believe I’m going to be the starter, so I’m wanting ahead to being on the market,” Maye stated. “I believe I’m able to go on the market and win, and compete, win a detailed sport. I need to get on the market and get expertise in these shut video games which you can’t replicate in observe. You may’t get these reps wherever else.”

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author masking the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Pink Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.