Patriots
“Anytime you play him, especially, it’s a little different”
FOXBOROUGH – It took a horrendous season and a stroke of luck to land Drake Maye in Foxborough with the Patriots.
With Washington’s Jayden Daniels in town for a joint practice and Friday night’s preseason opener, it’s fair to wonder just how different the Patriots’ luck might’ve been if they hadn’t beaten the Bills in Jerod Mayo’s final game as head coach.
Daniels and Maye were selected back-to-back in last year’s draft. The Commanders grabbed Daniels at No. 2, and the Patriots snagged Maye at No. 3. Chicago’s Caleb Williams, of course, was the No. 1 overall pick.
An extra loss for the Patriots could have shaken up the draft order. Maye enjoyed a solid rookie season, making the Pro Bowl as an alternate after sitting for several games at the beginning of the season as the coaching staff determined what to do with him.
But, Daniels was on another level. He helped flip the Commanders’ fortunes, taking them from 4-13 to 12-5 with an appearance in the NFC title game in one season. He finished seventh in the MVP voting after throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
“I saw him out there. I congratulated him. What a year he had,” Maye said. “I think there’s always in the back of your mind the draft class you came in with, and anytime you play him, especially, it’s a little different.”
There is a lot of optimism surrounding the Patriots this year as the franchise attempts to dig itself out of the hole left by back-to-back four-win seasons and a pair of fired head coaches.
Maye is a big part of that. He handled Wednesday’s joint practice well, making strong decisions and accurate throws. The Patriots moved the ball efficiently through the air with multiple big gains from DeMario Douglas, a highlight-reel catch from Kayshon Boutte, and a touchdown on a screen to Antonio Gibson, among other plays.
The second-year Patriots quarterback, behind what appears to be an improved offensive line, got off to a strong start in New England’s first joint practice of the summer.
Making a conference championship game seems unlikely for New England this season, but Maye is making strides and it showed while he was competing against Daniels’s Commanders.
“Just trying to worry about myself, but at the end of the day, keep up with those guys,’ Maye said. “Those guys are – him and Caleb [Williams] and Bo [Nix], those guys are good friends of mine, and they’re friends until we play each other.”
Sign up for Patriots updates🏈
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
