Odds Reveal Shocking Update on Patriots' Week 1 Starting Quarterback Situation

When the New England Patriots selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, many Patriots fans initially wondered when they might get their first glimpse of the new franchise quarterback.

Oddsmakers are feeling pretty confident on who will take the field as the Patriots quarterback in Week 1, and New England fans might have to be patient. Currently, Brissett is a massive favorite at -550 to play the first snap at quarterback for the Patriots in Week 1, while Maye is listed at +350, via DraftKings.

New England signed Jacoby Brissett to a one-year, $8 million deal back on March 11. Brissett, 31, was originally drafted by New England in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and has spent eight seasons in the NFL. He most recently spent the 2023 season with the Washington Commanders, where he only threw 23 passes. The journeyman quarterback held starting roles in 2017, 2019, and 2022.

When Brissett was signed, the consensus was that he would likely serve as the "bridge" quarterback for a season, while a rookie quarterback developed behind the scenes for a season. Now, knowing that Maye is that quarterback, it seems even more likely that Brissett is the starter. Maye, who turns 22 in August, is regarded as a raw prospect and more of a "project" than some of the other QBs taken in the draft.

One anonymous AFC offensive coordinator was strongly in favor of the approach to sit Maye for a year, telling Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:

"The best thing that could happen to [Maye] is to sit for a year, and then I think if he goes to a good spot and he learns — and it seems like he's a good kid and he'll do all the right stuff— he'll ultimately have success."

- AFC coordinator to Tom Pelissero

Appearing on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show", head coach Jerod Mayo shed some light on how the quarterback position could unfold as the offseason progresses, and certainly stopped far short of naming Maye the starter:

"Right now, we don’t know much about [Maye] as far just playing at this level. But once again, they’re going to compete. Jacoby has played a lot of football in this league. Zappe has played football in this league, and Drake hasn’t. So, he has to come in and not only show us that he’s capable of performing on the field but also really taking a leadership role with the young guys and hopefully the rest of the team going forward."

- Patriots Head Coach Jerod Mayo

Looking at the odds for the most passing yards by a rookie QB in 2024, it is further apparent that the betting community isn't expecting Maye to spend a lot on time on the field this season. Maye is ranked fifth in that department at +1600: behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix.

With the release of Nathan Rourke on Monday, New England's quarterback room has been whittled down to four: Maye, Brissett, Bailey Zappe, and Joe Milton. Milton was the second quarterback taken by the Patriots in April's draft, selected in the sixth round.

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