The New England Patriots got started on grooming No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye this past weekend at rookie minicamp. First-year head coach Jerod Mayo and the Patriots are making sure there aren’t too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to Maye’s development. To prevent that, they are handing the brunt of the […]
The New England Patriots got started on grooming No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye this past weekend at rookie minicamp.
First-year head coach Jerod Mayo and the Patriots are making sure there aren’t too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to Maye’s development. To prevent that, they are handing the brunt of the responsibility of coaching up Maye to new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
That’s a decision former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe is fully on board with.
Bledsoe got to know Van Pelt during their time playing together with the Buffalo Bills and Bledsoe believes Maye is in very good hands.
“One thing that he has that’s very, very significant going for him is Alex Van Pelt,” Bledsoe told Kay Adams Monday on the “Up & Adams” show. “We were together in Buffalo for a few years and no disrespect to (Scott Zolak), Alex, from a backup standpoint, he was one that had the best football mind and he also has just this incredibly calm demeanor. He played quarterback in the league for a decade and he’s six-foot and chubby. So, obviously he had to win with his brain. I really think that Alex is one of those special quarterback whisper kind of dudes that’s really going to help him.”
Van Pelt not only has a nine-year NFL playing career to fall back on, but he also has extensive experience working with quarterbacks throughout his 19 years coaching in the league. He first served as quarterbacks coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2008 before being promoted to the team’s offensive coordinator the following year.
The 54-year-old also took on the role of quarterbacks coach during a stint with the Green Bay Packers, which allowed him to work closely with Aaron Rodgers. Van Pelt most recently was the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns for four seasons and got the chance to coach 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield.
But trying to get the most out of Maye might be Van Pelt’s biggest undertaking yet. He’ll have time to develop the North Carolina product, too, with it looking like Maye could sit a majority of his rookie season behind Jacoby Brissett.
There certainly will be pressure on Van Pelt to get this all-important job done. But it’s clear the Patriots and Bledsoe have full trust in Van Pelt to do so.
