FOXBORO – A packed crowd filling the metallic bleachers bordering the west aspect of the Patriots’ observe fields erupted after Drake Maye’s first official completion of coaching camp went to Stefon Diggs on a brief crossing route in 11-on-11 drills.
If all goes as deliberate for the Patriots, that’s a promising premonition for the 2025 season: Maye underneath heart, usually connecting with a legit No. 1 vast receiver, and a fanbase again to being absolutely engaged.
It wasn’t the primary time Maye accomplished a cross to Diggs, who’s fully recovered eight months after tearing his ACL 4 days earlier than Halloween, this summer season. The second-year professional QB organized a throwing session in his hometown of Charlotte, N.C., earlier this month to get on the identical web page and kind a connection along with his offensive skill-position gamers.
“He did, I might say, 95% of it on his personal,” head coach Mike Vrabel stated Wednesday. “To have the ability to plan the journey, the housing, the situation, and the whole lot that they had been going to do and the locations that they had been going to do it. So, I feel that that’s a big step to not take care of different issues within the low season, in the summertime. Getting married and the whole lot like that. So, it was essential to him. I feel that was one thing that he wished to do. It was one thing that he approached me with early on. One thing that he was enthusiastic about.”
It’s an essential step in establishing himself as a frontrunner on a group whose 91-man roster is crammed with 44 new gamers. As a rookie, it was harder for Maye to tackle a management function in 2024, particularly with Jacoby Brissett, a captain, blocking his function as a starter to start final season.
For Maye, gathering Patriots offensive skill-position gamers, together with Diggs, working again Rhamondre Stevenson, tight finish Hunter Henry, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, and vast receivers Kyle Williams, Ja’Lynn Polk, DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne, wasn’t nearly connecting on the sector.
“I feel it’s one thing that you simply miss these guys for a month,” Maye stated. “You simply wish to get again, get a refresher from them, whether or not it’s route-wise, play-wise. I feel an important factor is simply bonding collectively. I feel getting the fellows collectively, going out to eat, having some enjoyable, getting some work in. I feel it was … glad that these guys got here out and confirmed up.”
Douglas’ highlights of the journey had been throwing and bonding.
“We had a hoop within the storage, and we was in there hooping,” Douglas stated. “We performed SpikeBall. I really feel like stuff like that acquired us nearer. We did additional actions — the boat; we had been all collectively on the boat.”
It’s too early to inform how beneficial the journey to Charlotte can be for Maye, however he acquired out to a superb begin in Wednesday’s observe, going 8-of-9 in 11-on-11 drills with returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels calling performs.
He narrowly averted a turnover when security Jabrill Peppers dropped an interception on a goal to Douglas, however general, Maye uncorked the ball along with his finest stretch kicking off his third 11-on-11 session with downfield completions to Henry and Williams.
“I feel we moved the ball effectively. I threw one ball, which I’d wish to have again, however they performed a superb protection for what we had,” Maye stated. “So, I feel it’s simply a kind of issues that you simply be taught from it and check out to not let these defensive guys get me.”
Maye reiterated a message he delivered within the spring that he received’t be afraid to go after the Patriots’ finest defensive gamers. Williams’ catch got here contested with All-Professional cornerback Christian Gonzalez in protection.
The QB gave his rookie vast receiver some pointers after the spectacular downfield play, nevertheless.
“I instructed him to possibly promote a bit extra, simply attempt to give him a go-route really feel,” Maye stated. “However I feel he’s coming alongside. He’s trying good. I instructed Gonzo, ‘I’m going to come back at Gonzo.’ I’m not going to go away him out right here bored at observe.”
Maye is aware of that with a purpose to change into a frontrunner for the 2025 Patriots, he’s going to should “earn (his) stripes” in observe.
He additionally is aware of that profitable video games – one thing the 2024 Patriots didn’t do a lot of – will earn the belief of his teammates. Maye was formally 3-9 as a starter in 2024, however he solely completed two of these video games.
Maye had a telling quote when requested what excites him most concerning the Patriots this season, saying that he seems like his teammates are “bored with dropping.”
For now, till Maye can show he can usually lead his group to victory, his teammates recognize that the 22-year-old quarterback is an uplifting presence in observe.
“Man, he’s doing excellent. I might say he’s undoubtedly turning into that chief, and I really feel like that is his group,” Douglas stated. “He brings vitality to the power and on the sector. He says nothing however good issues. If one thing goes unhealthy, he does nothing however carry us up.”
Past bettering his management, Maye revealed that he’s engaged on extending performs as a passer this season. Final yr, he took off working on 45 scrambles. He’d like to show a few of these runs into huge passing performs.
Bringing aboard Vrabel as head coach and surrounding Maye with extra expertise was paramount for the success of this yr’s Patriots group, however general, they’ll solely go so far as Maye can take them.
Wednesday’s observe was unpadded and lightweight on general competitors, but it surely was a optimistic first step for Maye in a brand new offense with a brand new head coach and new prime vast receiver.
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