Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo previously said it was "very important" for rookie quarterback Drake Maye to see snaps behind New England's starting offensive line.
That development came Wednesday, according to multiple reporters at Gillette Stadium.
The third overall pick didn't make a big deal about taking snaps from starting center David Andrews, though. Maye said all four quarterbacks try to take snaps from each of the centers to gain a feel for it.
"You got to be ready," Maye told reporters, per team-provided video. "I'm one snap away if I'm the backup, and DA (David Andrews) is going to be in there as starting center.
"My first preseason game against the Panthers, I went out there and DA was out there and I hadn't gotten a snap from DA in months. So I was like, 'Hey, David, just make sure we get some snaps in case something like that happens.' So, just trying to be ready."
But it might be a bigger deal than Maye is leading on.
Maye, as he mentioned, hadn't taken any snaps from Andrews besides the six he saw in the preseason opener. Veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett took all first-team snaps in practice leading up to last week's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Since that game, a game Maye impressed, the rookie quarterback has received competitive snaps behind a mix of first- and second-stringers, but not Andrews and the full starting group. Brissett on Wednesday saw 18 competitive reps behind the starting group and Maye received three, per the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan.
Is this to say Maye is all of a sudden going to be New England's starting quarterback? No, it's not. Mayo on Wednesday labeled Brissett as QB1 while expressing the competition is still ongoing -- he intends to have a final decision Monday or Tuesday.
It feels like Brissett will start behind center when the Patriots face the Cincinnati Bengals in their regular-season opener. Maye said he is not sure who will be the starter.
Regardless, Maye has proven to be not far behind. And the fact Maye received snaps behind the starting offense Wednesday indicates he's another step closer.
