Patriots legend Drew Bledsoe makes feelings clear on Drake Maye succeding in New England
Former Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe showed hope for the future of Drake Maye in New England but was adamant on maintaining patience through the quarterback's development process.
Bledsoe suited up for the Patriots from 1993-2001 and guided them to Super Bowl XXXI.
The Patriots icon stated his opinion as a guest on Kay Adams' "Up & Adams" podcast on Wednesday.
"It's gonna require some patience, you know, I, you know, I do, I do believe in Josh McDaniels... I think Josh is great. You know, there may be a learning curve where, you know, it may take a year, you know, for them to become really comfortable with each other. It may happen really quickly. I just said, you know, you never know how those relationships are going to go. But my hope now for Drake is that you have some stability from that standpoint where hopefully, now, hopefully now, he can work with the same coordinator for a while... And so my hope for him is now that he'll have some stability for a while, from that standpoint, where he can work with with Josh for for a number of years," said Bledsoe.
After competing with veteran Jacoby Brissett for the starting role as a rookie, Drake Maye now has the opportunity to establish himself as the team's offensive leader.
Drake Maye shows leadership during offseason workouts
Drake Maye flashed his promise in his rookie season, going 66.6% on his passes for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He brought added depth to the Patriots' offense with his ability to move, running for 421 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Reports from Patriots' offseason workouts suggest Drake Maye is already taking steps toward fulfilling Bledsoe's vision. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne noted a change in Maye's demeanor during spring activities:
"The confidence is there, maybe even more confidence," Bourne told reporters on May 13. "Drake is a competitor. When we do certain things, his competitive spirit is starting to show more, which I love."
Bourne described a specific instance that illustrated Drake Maye's growing leadership. During a conditioning drill where players pushed weighted sleds, Maye vocally challenged his teammates:
"We were looking at each other, side to side," Bourne recalled with a smile. "And we compete, who pushes longer? It was just dope to hear that from him, like, 'We getting y'all!'"
This aligns with what Bledsoe hopes to see develop under McDaniels' system. The offensive coordinator had remained with the Patriots from 2012 to 2021 before departing for a head-coaching opportunity.
Maye's growth will be influenced by working with an improved receiving unit that now features veteran Stefon Diggs joining Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and third-round pick in 2025, Kyle Williams.