Why Hall of Fame QB won’t say Drake Maye has taken the next step yet

Kurt Warner has appreciated a few of what he’s seen from Drake Maye up to now this season. Nonetheless, he isn’t able to say that the younger Patriots star has risen up the ranks to be thought of one of many sport’s higher quarterbacks but.

The Corridor of Fame quarterback defined that Maye’s relying a bit an excessive amount of on his improvisational abilities for him to say that he’s taken the following step as a quarterback.

“I believe Drake is enjoying some good soccer,” Warner said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “However proper now, slightly of it is a bit more yard soccer than stable, constant quarterback play.

“We’re seeing some big-time performs and a few good quarterback play. However proper now, I’m seeing an excessive amount of have a look at one man and go create.”

Warner pointed to 2 particular performs Mayde made within the win over the Payments that he felt had been “big-time” that had been additionally a bit an excessive amount of of the yard soccer fashion. The primary was the 32-yard completion to Stefon Diggs alongside the sideline within the third quarter. The opposite was Maye scrambling out of a sack earlier than throwing a completion to Diggs for a 12-yard acquire with simply over two minutes left.

Whereas Warner acknowledged these had been nice performs by Maye, he doesn’t suppose they’re sustainable for long-term success.

“That’s a tricky world to stay in,” Warner stated of these performs. “To be an excellent quarterback on this league, you’ve obtained to have the ability to persistently stay within the pocket when the state of affairs dictates that, after which go create and be that particular playmaker past that.

“They had been lucky in that sport that Buffalo performed as unhealthy as they did,” Warner added.

After all, one might retort to Warner’s evaluation of Maye that lots of the different high quarterbacks within the league additionally use improvisation for his or her success. However Warner believes these different quarterbacks, like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, have proven sufficient as pocket passers to be thought of among the many league’s elite.

“I’ve seen these different guys do extra,” Warner stated. “I’ve seen these guys win MVPs. I’ve seen these guys persistently do it for 17 video games.”

Statistically, Maye has been one of many high quarterbacks within the league this season. He’s fifth in passing yards (1,261), fifth in yards per try (8.2), sixth in passer ranking (107.8), and second in completion share (73.9). Prematurely metrics, Maye’s fifth in complete anticipated factors added (45.38), whereas Professional Soccer Focus has graded him because the Tenth-best quarterback this season amongst gamers who’ve began not less than three video games.

By way of play from the pocket, Maye has been top-of-the-line quarterbacks within the league this season. His 84.9 completion share within the pocket is the third-best amongst beginning quarterbacks, and his 7.2 yards per try on move from the pocket are the Eleventh-most within the league, per PFF.

Nonetheless, Warner wish to see greater than 5 video games’ value of a pattern dimension earlier than elevating Maye as a quarterback.

“I wanna see extra of Drake,” Warner stated. “He’s performed nicely this yr. I simply wanna see some extra consistency earlier than I crown him.”