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    Start Drake Maye? Rob Gronkowski Issues Stern Warning to Patriots, and They Should Listen

    Many Patriots fans understandably want New England to bench Jacoby Brissett and start Drake Maye. But Rob Gronkowski has a different take — and he’s right.

    The Patriots dropped to 1-3 with Sunday’s 30-13 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Jacoby Brissett threw a pick and lost a fumble, the offensive line gave up six sacks, and the depleted defense gave up too many big plays. It was a disappointing performance, albeit a predictable one.

    And, until further notice, the Patriots shouldn’t consider inserting Maye into this mess.

    Rob Gronkowski Warns Patriots About Playing Drake Maye

    Gronkowski offered his thoughts on the Maye-Brissett debate during halftime of FOX’s broadcast of Patriots-49ers.

    “Patriots fans, I know what you’re saying: ‘Put Drake Maye in, this offense needs a spark,'” Gronkowski said. “But I’m telling you, it will be the same old story with Drake Maye in, if he replaces Jacoby Brissett. He’ll be getting sacked. The offensive line will be letting guys go through, putting pressure on him.

    “You don’t want to ruin his confidence. Wait ’til at least Week 12.”

    Gronkowski is right.

    The Patriots can’t subject Maye to this punishment. Brissett was the league’s most-pressured QB in the first four weeks with an unsustainable 47.2% pressure rate, per TruMedia. He also took the third-most sacks (15) and the second-most hits (35).

    Making a young quarterback deal with that is a great way to screw him up. Just ask Mac Jones, who entered the NFL as a far more polished quarterback than Maye.

    Could Brissett have played better in the first month? Absolutely. He took too many sacks, and his penchant for holding onto the ball for too long was a big problem. And he clearly wasn’t seeing the field well during the loss in San Francisco.

    Still, he gives the Patriots the best chance to win right now, and the coaches don’t have to worry about ruining his development. He’s a sacrificial lamb, as cruel as that sounds.

    Bill Belichick Chimes in on Patriots’ Plan for Maye

    Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick generated headlines on Monday when asked about Maye during his “Pat McAfee Show” appearance.

    “Well, Pat, I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea what the plan is,” Belichick said. “So, I don’t know. I can’t comment on that. If [Jerod] Mayo said he’s got a plan, then I guess he’s got one. We’ll have to wait and see what it is. I don’t know.”

    In my opinion, Belichick wasn’t firing a shot at Mayo. He simply was punting on the question by pleading ignorance.

    However, if you watch the full clip, you’ll hear Belichick offer candid thoughts on New England’s struggles — which actually was interesting.

    But forget about what we, Belichick, or Gronkowski think about Maye. How does Mayo feel?

    Jerod Mayo Stands By Jacoby Brissett as Patriots’ Starter

    The first-year head coach backed Brissett after Sunday’s loss and sang a similar tune Monday morning.

    “Jacoby is 100% our starter,” Mayo said during a virtual news conference. “He’s done a good job doing what we’ve asked. Are there a lot of plays he could do a better job? Absolutely.

    “But I would never question his toughness, dependability, and leadership style for this team. That’s what we need right now.”

    During his Monday morning WEEI appearance, Mayo said he reserves the right to change his mind about the starting quarterback before this Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. He also indicated Maye might not see the field anytime soon.

    “I think the hard part about it, all the fans, you in the media, they want to see the third-overall pick play,” Mayo said. “I understand the frustration from fans and [media]. What we’re doing is what we think is best. What I’m doing is what I think is best for the Patriots today and also in the future.”

    Mayo added: “We came into the season with a plan and we’re going to execute that plan, knowing that we’ll take our bumps and bruises along the way.”

    The Patriots — especially Brissett — certainly are feeling some bumps and bruises.

    But that can’t dissuade them from playing the long game with Maye, who likely will play at some point this season but, for now, must remain on the bench.

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