FOXBORO — Drake Maye shrugged his shoulders and smiled after what was simply his greatest fully-padded observe as knowledgeable.
He’d simply gone 11-for-13 in aggressive staff durations — together with a red-hot stretch of 7-on-7 passing in a red-zone interval — however nonetheless appeared ahead to doing that which was certainly one of his biggest strengths as a collegian: launching it deep.
“Attempting to be sensible with it,” Maye mentioned. “I really feel like I throw the soccer effectively down the sector. Nonetheless really feel like I have never actually aired it out but, however I feel it is coming.”
Maye was extra of a degree guard than three-point sharpshooter on Day 8 of Patriots coaching camp. He accomplished 4 of 5 passes in a 7-on-7 interval with the offense located contained in the protection’s 10-yard line, together with correct strikes into tight areas for Javon Baker, Kayshon Boutte and La’Michael Pettway.
He later threw within the path of a blitz, attacking the vacated space, for a straightforward completion to Ja’Lynn Polk. On the subsequent snap, a play-action name, he quieted his ft inside a clear pocket and drilled one to Jalen Reagor over the center of the sector.
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Deep photographs or no deep photographs, Maye has now strung together two straight encouraging practices, trying targeted — as veteran teammate Jacoby Brissett urged Friday — on “the little issues.” Quick-area accuracy. Clear footwork. Sound fundamentals.
Brissett stays the highest passer for the Patriots, getting the first-team reps. However Maye could have a chance to proceed to construct some optimistic momentum for the third straight day when he and his teammates are again on the sector Saturday.
Let’s get to our Day 8 version of The Drake Maye Report…
The rep report
Maye and Brissett needed to grind it out on a steamy day on the observe fields behind Gillette Stadium.
Brissett noticed 27 snaps in aggressive 11-on-11 durations and 5 snaps in 7-on-7 work. Maye, in the meantime, noticed 16 snaps of 11-on-11 work and 5 snaps in 7-on-7 work.
Whereas the amount of performs has usually been break up between Brissett and Maye — with Brissett all the time taking the sector because the first-team quarterback — Friday’s session was a change in that regard. Brissett racked up 14 snaps (together with one spike to cease the clock) in an 11-on-11 interval late within the observe.
Joe Milton noticed three snaps in aggressive staff durations, and Bailey Zappe was a spectator all through the aggressive durations of observe.
Crunching the numbers
Maye wasn’t the one quarterback who had himself a pleasant day. Brissett was spectacular in his personal proper, finishing 18 of 26 passes and getting sacked twice.
Maye hit 11-of-13 between 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 durations. He went 7-for-8 in full-team durations of observe, along with his solely misfire being a cross breakup when Azizi Hearn jumped in entrance of a cross supposed for JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Play of the day
The attention-opener of the day was maybe Maye’s completion within the entrance nook of the tip zone to Kayshon Boutte in 7-on-7 work. It confirmed that which Maye is understood for — athleticism, making off-platform throws look fluid, arm energy — and was match into a decent window.
However after hitting Polk for a straightforward completion right into a defensive blitz name, Maye has now had a number of passes which have attacked pressures over the course of the final couple of practices. These are spectacular otherwise, highlighting what appears like good pre-snap recognition versus sheer bodily skill.
The perfect play of the observe for any quarterback? Brissett’s skinny submit landing to an open DeMario Douglas, who appeared uncoverable at instances Friday. It was a high-velocity dime that allowed the highest offensive unit to complete its two-minute drill with a flourish.
Why he is prepared
On this part of The Drake Maye Report, we’ll spotlight the parts of the rookie’s efficiency that counsel he is ready to take a seat atop the hierarchy of quarterbacks in New England sooner somewhat than later.
Maye has heated up because the temperatures in Foxboro have climbed. During the last two days, in aggressive practices, Maye has accomplished 76.1 % of his passes. That determine alone does not imply a lot, however contemplating the final two days have targeted regularly on red-zone work — the place the sector is condensed and protection is usually tighter — the accuracy Maye has exhibited is noteworthy.
When Maye had points in earlier practices, a few of his most confounding errors have been when he had clear pockets and easily missed his goal. These moments have been few and much between in Days 7 and eight of Patriots camp.
If he can proceed to throw precisely, leveraging his athleticism when he ought to, and then add just a few extra deep photographs to his throw profile? He’ll appear like a participant who’s prepared sooner somewhat than later…
Why endurance is a advantage
On this part of The Drake Maye Report, we’ll spotlight the parts of the rookie’s efficiency that counsel he is not fairly prepared to take a seat atop the quarterback depth chart.
…That is to not say Maye was mistake-free on Friday. His lone 11-on-11 incompletion was a near-pick. Might Smith-Schuster have labored his method again to the soccer extra aggressively, not permitting Hearn to leap the route? Possibly. However Hearn almost snagged Maye’s second aggressive throw of the observe.
Maye additionally has moments when he chooses to scramble, and it is price questioning how valued these reps can be by his teaching workers. Jerod Mayo mentioned beforehand in camp that he hoped to see what Maye can do from the pocket, permitting Maye to indicate what his pass-catchers and pass-protectors can do as performs develop. However Maye had two speeding makes an attempt in his first 4 dropbacks of 11-on-11 work.
Does he have solutions to fast stress? Can he provide you with fast options when his first learn is taken away? These are the varieties of questions Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt might want to have the ability to reply confidently earlier than deeming Maye actually “prepared.”
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