by For the 2025 season, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye made his first weekly appearance on WEEI Afternoons on Monday.
The second-year signal-caller talked about a number of things, such as his performance in Friday’s New England preseason opener and the pressure of playing in Foxborough after Brady.
Four things to remember from his interview are as follows:
Embracing Vrabel s message
Even though the Patriots defeated the Commanders 48–18 on Friday night to start preseason play, Mike Vrabel’s severe lecture to Maye following a costly turnover dominated much of the postgame conversation.
After Maye’s blunder on the opening drive of the evening for New England, Vrabel stated, “That’s a bad decision and I think we’re going to need better from him and I think he knows that and I think that’s obvious.”
Vrabel is setting a high bar as the team attempts to turn things around following consecutive four-win seasons, Maye admitted in an interview with WEEI.
Only intensity. Bringing it every day. Maye told Andy Hart of WEEI on Monday that you should leave your ego at the door, then take it onto the field and finish through the whistle. completing the small tasks correctly. And I believe they are merely attempting to assist us on the field. What he is attempting to illustrate is the importance of technique and small nuances.
Vrabel reiterated earlier Monday on WEEI that if the Patriots want to make significant progress in 2025 and beyond, Maye would need to be pushed to a higher level this season.
Regarding Maye, Vrabel stated on The Greg Hill Show, “It’s expected that he’s leading this football team.”That is the quarterback’s and head coach’s responsibility. This is essentially how it works. Additionally, he is unable to take days off.
Even though the performance may not always be exceptional, the leadership and mannerisms must be. And he’s probably learning that. I appreciate that he is eager to learn, push himself, and attempt to achieve those things to the point where he demands of everyone and ensures that everyone is in agreement.
Regarding his expectations as one of the leaders of a rebuilding New England squad, Maye agreed with Vrabel’s remarks.
Regarding Vrabel’s thoughts, Maye remarked, “He hit it off the tee.” Simply bring it each day. No vacation days. It’s my responsibility to alert the offensive team when they feel like you’re trailing behind.
In addition to his turnover, Maye completed three of five passes for 12 yards and ran for 16 yards on two attempts with a touchdown in Friday’s preseason game, giving New England two possessions overall.
“It was satisfying to step outside, sort of communicate with Coach via the headset, leave the huddle, and actually move the ball,” Maye remarked. Rather than having us line up and run plays out here during practice. However, I believed that the fans put on a spectacular spectacle to honor Tom Brady, who is number twelve. Then we were victorious.
WBZpic.twitter.com/nIDUe3MDvg @DrakeMaye2 takes it himself!
Playing in Brady s shadow
Brady’s presence was felt in Foxborough on Friday when the Patriots welcomed the iconic quarterback back to Gillette Stadium to unveil a 12-foot statue honoring his Hall of Fame career.
There are high expectations for every Patriots signal-caller who is tasked with guiding the team in the post-Brady era, even though Maye is not Brady’s direct successor in New England.
Tom Brady’s statue is unveiled:qLKulXA27G pic.twitter.com/
However, Maye doesn’t think that playing for a team that had one of the greatest players in NFL history puts him at a disadvantage.
Yes, Maye said, I wouldn’t say pressure. Just admiration for what he did, how he played the position, how much he wanted to win, and how they did win, in my opinion. That, I believe, is the most important aspect.
A younger O-line
Beyond Maye’s continuous growth, if the Patriots want to move up the standings in 2025, they will need a redesigned offensive line to keep Maye off the field and out of harm’s way.
Given that the left side of New England’s O-line may include two rookies, left guard Jared Wilson and left tackle Will Campbell, it will be necessary for a number of young players to flourish at the highest level of football.
Even if there may be some growing pains for everyone involved this season, Maye is pleased with what he has seen so far from the two rookies.
After graduating from high school, Jared had committed to North Carolina. His home state is North Carolina. I was acquainted with him in high school. Maye stated, “I don’t blame him for flipping to Georgia.” However, I was previously acquainted with him. And Will and I are experiencing the same thing. top five choice, traveling from the south to Boston. Distinct accents. That’s just going through it, I believe.
The best thing for Will and me to relate to, talk about, and discuss is the place he’s in. And those two guys up front, I believe, worked hard. I’m proud of what those men have accomplished. They’re learning, I believe.
A crowded wideout room
Players like Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, rookie Kyle Williams, and Kayshon Boutte have established themselves on New England’s Week 1 roster, according to the early consensus in Foxborough.
However, a number of fascinating wide receivers are still attempting to avoid being cut from the team, with players like Javon Baker and undrafted rookie Efton Chism showing notable progress in recent days.
How the overcrowded receiver corps in New England thins out is still up in the air. However, given the large number of targets he works with during camp, Maye thinks it’s a good problem to have.
“I believe they’re fighting,” Maye remarked. In that entire room, there are seven or eight men who bring it every day. Coach Todd [Downing] is doing a fantastic job of pushing the wide receivers, making them be in the appropriate places, and introducing them to new plays and ideas.
They’re learning them thoroughly, asking me questions, and consulting with legendary offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. So, I believe you should just keep talking. That’s the most important thing. And based on my prediction, the players who consistently find themselves in the proper position, make plays, and block in the run game will be out there.
Since 2023, Conor Ryan has worked as a staff writer for Boston.com, covering the Boston Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Receive all the information you require to begin your day, given directly to your inbox each morning.
