Patriots quarterbacks coming together and helping each other during camp competition
FOXBORO -- On the third day of practice at Patriots training camp, most of the attention was on New England's quarterbacks. Rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton both made big plays on the field, while veteran Jacoby Brissett continued to hold down the fort as the starting QB.
Maye also threw his first pick of camp, which he referred to as a "rookie mistake" when he held court with reporters after practice. Maye had a deep look but went short to his running back in the flat. He soon realized that opposing defenses are good at covering running backs too, and Matthew Judon picked off his throw.
Brissett spent some time with Maye after that miscue, and much to Maye's credit, he bounced right back and threw a completion on his next passing attempt.
"That's part of it. You can't ride the ups and downs. Every play is a new play," said Maye. "Can't be too hard on myself. I threw my first interception, but gotta bounce back. It's about how you bounce back in this league."
Asked about how Maye is handling his mistakes on the field, Brissett said that the rookie is "like a professional" on that front.
"One play he throws a pick and the next he throws a completion. Those are the learning curves and the NFL moments you need out here," said Brissett. "That's what I told him, 'That was your game today and you went out and won the day.'
"Shoot, I'm doing it myself after bad plays, trying to bounce back and make a good play," Brissett added.
Maye has done well progressing through his reads, but he knows it's going to get a lot tougher going forward. He's pleased with his progress so far, but his focus is on being better every day.
"There are some plays I think I'm doing a good job and some plays I can do a better job. I want to make it so I'm not missing the read or not getting through the read as quickly as I need to out here more than one time in a row. If I make the same mistake today as I did Wednesday, I'm not making any progress," he said. "Trying to keep that balance and keep going at it. That's what practice is for. Keep my head up and come back out and sling it around."
While the offense as a whole was sloppy to start Friday's practice, the group got better as the day went on. Head coach Jerod Mayo isn't worried about the new-look offense struggling during the first week, since that usually happens in training camp. Defenses, especially one like New England's that has been together for years, are always ahead of the offense at camp.
"It's been three days but each day has gotten better," said Brissett. "Trying our best to take the classroom to the field and those guys have done a good job with it. As a room, we're getting better."
Drake Maye had the play of the day again
Maye had fans on their feet Wednesday when he connected with Jalen Reagor on a deep ball for a touchdown. (Reagor made an incredible one-handed grab on the play.) On Friday, Maye found fellow rookie Ja'Lynn Polk for another deep score.
The Maye-Polk connection is one Patriots fans hope they'll see plenty of for years to come. Maye gave Polk all the credit on Friday.
"He made a nice catch. It wasn't a great throw but he made a nice catch," said Maye, who added that he needs to do a better job looking off safeties.
"Just give him a chance; that's what he's here for and how he makes plays," Maye said of Polk.
Lots of love in the Patriots quarterback room
All of the Patriots quarterbacks and receivers got together earlier this summer in Florida as a way of building camaraderie with each other. The relationship among all four quarterbacks -- Brissett, Maye, rookie Joe Milton, and third-year QB Bailey Zappe -- continues to grow in camp. You'd never know they were competing against each other, as they're always cheering each other on and helping each other in any way they can during practice.
It's more like a brotherhood -- or as a throwback to the 2016 group, a "wolfpack" -- than a competition in New England's quarterback room.
"It's been really good. No evidence we're all competing against each there," said Brissett. "I said it in the room the other day, we are competing against each other but let's not be too far ahead that we can't cheer for the other person. This league is hard enough so let's have fun."
Brissett said he's just being himself when he cheers on his teammates -- even the ones he's in direct competition with.
"That's what this time is for," he said. "Going out there competing and having fun, and being fans of your teammates. Instilling that confidence in each other, and when guys go out and do the right thing, they should be congratulated. We're just instilling that in each other."
Fans are flipping out for Joe Milton III
Milton also had a big throw on a touchdown pass to fellow rookie Javon Baker. But it's his backflips throughout practice that receive some of the loudest cheers, and Milton did another for fans on Friday.
Milton told reporters that his father taught him how to do a back flip when he was just three years old.
As for his QB reps, Milton was second behind Maye when the Patriots started 11 vs. 11s on Friday. But the quarterback order has changed each of the last three days, and will likely continue to change, so it's best not to read too much into it.
Bailey Zappe isn't getting frustrated
With Brissett currently slated as the team's starting QB and Maye behind him on the depth chart, Bailey Zappe appears to be the odd-man out in New England quarterback competition. Milton took snaps over him on Thursday and Friday, but Zappe said it's not about when you're taking snaps in camp.
"The quality is what you make of it. I think the quantity is about the same," Zappe told reporters. "It's up to you what you do with those reps. ... The days you do get less reps, it means you have to place more emphasis on the reps you do get. Every day is a new day and you have to go out and attack it."
