New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots identified Drake Maye as their next franchise quarterback, selecting the 21-year-old third overall in Thursday night’s 2024 NFL Draft. However, considering the current roster layout, the team acknowledges there’s still some work to do.
After parting ways with Bill Belichick and former starting quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots started fresh at square one this offseason. That didn’t just mean introducing a new quarterback for the 2024 season, but weapons to complement whoever New England decides to hand the ball to at the start of the season. So far, that hasn’t gone great for the organization.
“I just think we need to support him in any way that we can, on the field, off the field,” Patriots head executive Eliot Wolf told reporters on Thursday night. “We need to add some weapons to the offense. We need to shore up the offensive line. We have good players already in those positions, but really just increasing the depth of the competition.”
New England already got ahead of providing Maye with a mentor, signing quarterback Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal. The front office also added wideout K.J. Osbourn, running back Antonio Gibson, tight end Austin Hooper, and linebacker Sione Takitaki, among others.
Yet, the gaping holes in the organization’s offense, which tied for last in points (13.8) per game and finished dead last in the AFC East at 4-13, still need to be addressed.
While Maye is the guy for the Patriots as they seek brighter days in the future, the North Carolina product will need to earn his stripes on the field.
“I think he has the chance to go out there and really play at a high level,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said. “You could talk about potential all you want to, but until you reach it, it really doesn’t matter. But we do know the man. We know the man is a hard worker.”
