Patriots OTA takeaways: Drake Maye makes a key leap; Christian Barmore and the defense dominate

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Drake Maye is on the move. In the two previous OTA sessions open to the media, the New England Patriots’ first-round pick was ranked third behind veterans Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe in terms of how quarterback reps were distributed. This has since changed.

During Tuesday’s practice, the last time we’ll see Maye and the Patriots before the start of mandatory minicamp next week, the first-year quarterback made the jump to QB2 in regards to how the reps were split throughout the session. Brissett, who signed with the team this off-season and is currently the projected Week 1 starter, continued to get the bulk of the reps, but it was Maye who was next during practice with Zappe following him before giving way to fellow rookie Joe Milton III.

“I think it’s a battle,” Maye said of the move to QB2 in reps. “Me, Jacoby and Bailey are fighting and confusing who goes with who every day. It’s not necessarily, ‘Hey, you go first and you go second.’ Jacoby is getting the first one and from then on we’re just playing it by ear. Obviously, it matters how you do when you’re there.”

Overall it was a mixed day for all the defenders, including Maye who made two interceptions. One of the choices wasn’t necessarily his fault, while the other appeared to be a ball thrown over the top to a receiver on the right side of the field near the numbers or a ball thrown underneath to another pass receiver on the lower boundary on that side.

By my count, Maye finished 4-of-7 with two picks during 11-on-11 and then completed three of his four passes during 7-on-7, which was predominantly focused on red zone work.

“He’s heading in the right direction,” coach Jerod Mayo said before Tuesday’s practice of Maye’s development. “Often people think it’s longitudinal, just a straight line to the top, and realistically it’s up and down, up and down, up and down. But hopefully you end up still – from left to to the right – entering the right direction.”

As for offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, he noted after that session that Maye was “impressive,” but made the caveat that these are just the initial steps in a long process.

“I think of it as a marathon rather than a sprint,” he said of developing a young quarterback like Maye. “You don’t just go out and run a marathon. You have to go out and properly train for a marathon. It’s the same with a quarterback. There’s a process and we follow that process, we trust that process. You can’t just put a guy out there. and expecting him to succeed without proper training. It’s a process and we’re moving in the right direction.”

With Maye specifically, Van Pelt said the Patriots “are going to take our time and do this the right way.” He was also asked specifically if there is a timeline the team has in mind in terms of when he would take the next step up the depth chart as a starter.

“I think you have to take it as it comes,” Van Pelt said. “I think it will be a combination of a few things. When these decisions are made, they will be made in a group with Eliot [Wolf] and Coach Mayo. When that time comes, we will see, but there is no timetable for when that time comes. Jacoby [Brissett], again, is our starter and played excellent football for us in the spring and Drake is coming up. Until that changes, let’s continue with what we have.”

Here are some other takeaways from Tuesday’s session:

• Dominating the defense: It was a great day for the Patriots defense. As the club focused primarily on red zone drills, the defense stifled the offense regardless of who was under center. Knowing this was a non-contact practice, fourth-year defensive tackle Christian Barmore particularly stood out. The 24-year-old, who signed a four-year extension with the team in April, had what would have been a few sacks. During an 11-on-11 snap, Barmore broke through the line to disrupt play on what would have been a tackle for loss. In case it wasn’t clear if the defense won the day, the entire offense was forced to do push-ups after the final red zone drills.
• How the QBs fared: Brissett continued to get the QB1 treatment, but it was a tough day for all the quarterbacks. By my count, he was 2-for-11 for the day during 11-on-11 and 5-for-9 during 7-on-7. Zappe was 3-for-4 on 11s and 2-for-4 on 7s. Milton completed one of his four shots during 7-on-7.
• Left tackle is still a focus: The offensive line as a whole leaked a bit on Tuesday, but the left tackle position will still be a central focus as New England ramps up its offseason workouts. Chukwuma Okorafor and newcomer Caedan Wallace are the two names fighting for this spot.
• Eye on the sideline: During his media availability, Alex Van Pelt clarified that he will be on the sideline calling plays for the Patriots offense in 2024 rather than working in the booth.
• By Mario Douglas pops up: The wide receiver that caught my eye on Tuesday was Pop Douglas. He was the most involved pass catcher during red zone periods and made a number of key catches throughout the afternoon. After practice, Maye even compared Douglas to former UNC player and current Colt Josh Downs: “They do a lot of the same things. You can’t guard him in a phone booth. They’re nervous, his speed. Those two things you can’t work on.”
• Javon Baker limited: Something to keep an eye on. I noticed fourth-round rookie Javon Baker was limited today in practice. While he was present and in uniform, he did not participate in the red zone drills or the competitive 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 sessions. He was simply on the sidelines as a spectator with his helmet in his hand. Of course, given that there are no reports of injuries at this time of year, it’s unclear what exactly kept him from participating.