New England benefited from Tom Brady running the Patriots offense for two decades. However, since Brady and the Patriots parted ways following the 2019 NFL season, New England has struggled to find the right quarterback to lead the club into the new era.
Fast-forward four years and several failed attempts at gaining the right signal-caller, New England will head into the season with veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett as the Week 1 starter and rookie Drake Maye on the sidelines as his backup. Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski believes Maye will take the field earlier than projected as the franchise looks toward the future.
"I expect Drake Maye to play. I'm just not sure exactly when. Maybe halfway through the season," Gronkowski said, per Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek. "I think it was a great play to start Jacoby Brissett, let Drake develop. Jacoby is a veteran; he knows how to handle situations that Drake wouldn't know how to handle, especially pressure coming off the edge and up the middle.
"The game can be fast for a rookie, and the supporting cast around Drake isn't that up to par either. It's great to let him develop and let Jacoby handle blitzes and guys when they aren't blocked on the offensive line blunders that let someone free."
Like most analysts, Gronkowski doesn't see the Patriots having much success this year, but the four-time Super Bowl champion believes New England is headed in the right direction.
"But Drake Maye has a lot of potential. He's going to be the guy in the future. I think the team will struggle a little bit this year, but I think, at the same time, they are on the right path. They are moving in the right direction. They have a core staple of guys that they signed in the offseason. Give them two or three years, and they could have a team in the future."
