The Patriots offense began a two-day mandatory minicamp with a strong practice for the second straight session that was open to the media this spring.
Although it's only non-contact practices in June, there's tangible energy to head coach Mike Vrabel's practices that has led to competitive team periods. There have also been noticeable improvements by the team's starting quarterback, Drake Maye, since the start of the spring. Maye made headlines when he threw a couple interceptions in the first open OTA, showing possible signs of growing pains as the second-year quarterback adjusts to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels's system.
Over the last two media look-ins at practice, Maye has been sharp, with his timing improving bit by bit as he grows more comfortable in McDaniels's offense. There also haven't appeared to be many mental errors for the offense, such as pre-snap penalties or lining up incorrectly, which is another good sign. Following another solid practice on Monday to open minicamp, Maye told reporters that he's starting to find a groove as the spring portion of the NFL calendar reaches its conclusion.
"I'm starting to really find a stride," Maye said. "It's all the same concepts in the league, but it's different words, different verbiage. It's mostly the same guys running [routes], but just feeling out how they run it and timing when you get into different concepts. It's been good."
On Monday, Maye was efficient, with only a few balls hitting the ground. During an early team period, the Pats QB repped from under center with a deep drop synced to a route on the outside by WR Kayshon Boutte. Maye threw an anticipatory pass where the ball left his hand before Boutte broke on his route, with the Pats wideout sitting down in front of the coverage perfectly as the ball hit him between the numbers on his chest. From this perspective, it's timing routes like the Maye-to-Boutte connection that signal positive momentum for the offense.
Then, the Patriots moved inside the 20-yard line for the first red-zone work in front of the media this spring and it made for a great back-and-forth against the defense. Maye connected on touchdowns to RB TreVeyon Henderson (angle route), DeMario Douglas (juke route), and hit WR Kendrick Bourne in the back of the end zone for another score on a late-in-the-down read. Maye was moving through his progressions and finding matchups, with Henderson and Douglas working on linebackers between the numbers, which is a staple of McDaniels's scheme.
"Coach [McDaniels] does a great job of getting guys in matchups and letting them win. I'm looking forward to doing that. I have to do my part of getting guys lined up, playing the right side [of the field], and just doing my part of taking what's open," Maye said.
Along with his play on the field, Maye is emerging as a leader for the Patriots. As head coach Mike Vrabel said, it's unique for a second-year player to take on a leadership role on a football team, but that's the nature of being the starting quarterback in this sport and in the NFL.
"It's a unique position being 22 [years old]. There's a lot of natural leadership qualities. I have to encourage him, continue to encourage him and to put him in those positions to do that so that the players understand that there's a different version of all of us. There's one that's maybe off the field, there's one in the meeting room, and then there's a version on the field, which we all have to understand is somewhat different than what it may be off the field," Vrabel said before practice.
On finding his voice as a leader for the Patriots, Maye said he views it as an opportunity to "take a jump" from his rookie season to year two.
"Last year, being a rookie, trying to come in here and earn my stripes, earn my keep through hard work. This year, it's the same approach. We have new guys in here, new staff. I have to keep getting to know everybody and show my work ethic. From there, try to take the next step in leadership and leading the offense," Maye explained.
One way Vrabel has encouraged Maye to be a vocal leader is by leading the team in conditioning runs to end practice. Vrabel has Maye shout a cadence like he's at the line of scrimmage to signal to the other 90 players to start running, with Maye in the center of the entire team.
"I'm just trying not to screw the guys over with the cadence and have them jump offsides," Maye said. "Cadence is a big thing in this league to see what the defense is doing, help the guys up front blocking. Every D-line in this league is good. It's a great way for those guys to listen in on cadence and also conditioning, when they're tired, listening to the cadence."
As he finds more success in this league, the expectations are growing for Maye to have a breakout second season and lead the Patriots to more wins. Maye isn't shying away from high expectations as the hype grows around New England in Vrabel's first season as head coach.
"You want high expectations. The Patriots are used to winning, and that's what we're trying to get back to. You want people to expect you to play well. That pressure is what fuels you to be out here, what fuels you to get the rep right in practice. It's what fuels you to work hard in the meetings, the weight room, to not let what happened last year happen again," said Maye.
Like every team in the NFL, the Patriots aren't playing games that count anytime soon. Still, you want to see your promising second-year quarterback steadily improve at each practice. With each session this spring, Maye has looked more and more confident, which is a good sign that the offense is moving in the right direction heading into the summer.
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