With the rumor mill that Joe Milton might be making a run for Maye’s spot at QB1, the Patriots might have a true QB battle on their hands.
FOXBOROUGH, MA– Rumors have swirled about quarterback Joe Milton III possibly making a strong-armed run for 2024 first-round draft pick Drake Maye’s QB1 slot. On Thursday night, the New England Patriots made their preseason debut, winning a 17-3 primetime showdown versus the Panthers to get our first taste of football since the Hall of Fame Game last week.
For the Patriots, it was much of the Joe Milton show who played the majority of the game while currently listed as the fourth quarterback on the roster. Starter Jacoby Brissett kicked off the game while first-round selection Maye only played one series. Maye barely got a chance to shine, only attempting three passes and completing two of them– both of which were called screens to the running back.
Head coach Jerod Mayo attributed the lack of PT to his desire for Maye to play behind the top offensive line, but it was a disappointing start– through no fault of his own, for the third-overall pick. All things considered though, Maye looked comfortable in the pocket, took no sacks, and did his job– commanding the offense effectively.
Bailey Zappe also got in the mix, but it was Joe Milton who really stole the show. Milton is currently in a dead heat with Zappe for the QB3 spot– or the one who makes the roster. Milton’s night started late in the third-quarter but he made it count.
Milton led two scoring drives after his entrance at 4:12 in the third and throughout the fourth. His preseason debut was nothing short of electric, with insane scrambles (including one where he ran the length of the field just to gain around 15 yards), pocket awareness, and a thrown touchdown.
Milton’s night finished with four out of six passes completed and 54 yards. Pair that with a touchdown and you get a solid statistical night for a sixth-round pick in his preseason debut. Milton showed off college-like wheels and his strong arm. His run saw him extend a play for nearly 15 seconds while continuously looking downhill. While plays like that will seldom be perfromed in a regular game against a first-team defense, it shows his athletic ability.
Milton’s passes also looked like rockets upon release, including his touchdown pass to JaQuae Jackson for 38 yards. Milton’s performance earned him plenty of praise, including from Mayo who was asked who impressed him the most.
“I need to go back and watch the film, [but] the easy answer would be Joe,” Mayo said. “Joe went out there and — I don’t think we’ve ever seen a quarterback here run around as much as he did and still was able to get the ball down the field. He’s one of those guys. It was good.”
“The coaches, the team itself, have put a lot of work in to get us where we need to be, especially at the quarterback position,” Joe Milton said. “The [offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt] and [quarterbacks coach] T.C. McCarthy and [offensive assistant] Ben McAdoo, they put a lot of stress on just getting the details right, your eyes will match your feet and just being able to just go where your feet tell you to go. And if it’s not there, being able to move on.”
Joe Milton has been rumored to be making a run for the starting spot, a whisper which may be elevated to an inside voice after this game. Milton has long been lauded for his cannon arm and his instinctive and video game-like running ability. We’ll need to see more from Maye in order for us to make a rational decision.
