{"id":237942,"date":"2025-07-26T15:32:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T15:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/237942\/"},"modified":"2025-07-26T15:32:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T15:32:10","slug":"drake-mayes-fan-club-is-growing-every-day-karen-guregian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/237942\/","title":{"rendered":"Drake Maye\u2019s fan club is growing every day | Karen Guregian"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOXBOROUGH – When it comes to Drake Maye,<\/a> the expectation, the fingers-crossed hope, is that he\u2019ll make a Year 2 leap. <\/p>\n

And, down the road, he will lead the Patriots into their next chapter of greatness. <\/p>\n

Listening to veteran center Garrett Bradbury, there doesn\u2019t seem to be much doubt about Maye\u2019s future<\/a>, and the course ahead.<\/p>\n

Bradbury, entering his seventh NFL season, was the latest teammate to throw bouquets the second-year quarterback\u2019s way. He\u2019s another card-carrying member of the Drake Maye fan club.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe how mature he is at such a young age,\u201d Bradbury said Friday. \u201cI spent a lot of time with him this spring. I have to remind myself he\u2019s 22.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old said Maye was \u201clight years\u201d ahead of where he was as a rookie. Maye, of course, is no longer a rookie, but we\u2019ll let that slide.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of his approach, his mentality, he doesn\u2019t act like a 22-year-old,\u201d Bradbury went on. \u201cHe understands the weight of the position he plays.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maye has certainly looked good early in camp. He\u2019s shown a level of comfort and confidence both with the new offense, along with being at the helm from Day 1.<\/p>\n

Last year, as a rookie, he deferred to veteran Jacoby Brissett, who was the Patriots starter at the outset before handing the baton to Maye Week 5.<\/p>\n

Listening to Bradbury sing his praises, there was a little more weight to it given he\u2019s someone who didn\u2019t know Maye last year.<\/p>\n

His impressions are based on the past few months getting to know the young signal-caller.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s always picking my brain,\u201d Bradbury said. \u201cI think everyone knows he has a bright future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked what he\u2019s seen in a short time to make him feel that way, Bradbury\u2019s answer was telling.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a leadership standpoint, the way he\u2019s commanding the huddle, the way he\u2019s calling the team up, getting on guys in the offense, in the right way … like I said, he\u2019s 22,\u201d Bradbury said. \u201cHe has a few games under his belt. You can\u2019t go around barking at guys, telling them what to do. So he tows that line perfectly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe understands just by the nature of the position, you have a voice. You have control. And so to use that the right way, it\u2019s to get everyone on the same page and we can move things forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing those type of details from Bradbury provides a layer of reassurance and confirmation about Maye, who was taken with the third overall pick last year.<\/p>\n

His talent is obvious given his athleticism, his strong arm and mobility.<\/p>\n

Bradbury filled in the spaces in between.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe details in this game matter so much. It\u2019s such a different game in college. You see quarterbacks come in all the time with great arm strength, great mobility. But then come on Sundays, and it\u2019s a different animal,\u201d the former Vikings center said. \u201cHe understands that. It\u2019s just coming out and getting the reps in. He needs to feel – \u2018Oh, I didn\u2019t see that safety on that play\u2019 – you have to make some mistakes to get better from that.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the better we can do our job, the better he can do his job, and we know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The offensive line didn\u2019t do the job very well last year. Maye was constantly running for his life, as was Brissett before him.<\/p>\n

Bradbury knows that has to change.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s on the field or off the field, we want to support him,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to help him because this team goes as that position goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradbury also knows in Josh McDaniels\u2019 offense, there\u2019s a lot on the quarterback\u2019s plate. There\u2019s pressure on him to make the right calls.<\/p>\n

Thus far, Maye <\/a>has handled everything rather seamlessly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe understands the more confidence he has, the more he can show us he knows what\u2019s going on,\u201d Bradbury said. \u201cWhatever he says, \u2018Let\u2019s go. Let\u2019s ride,\u2019 we trust him completely.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I want him to be perfect on every call? Ideally yes, but at the same time, if he misses a call, he\u2019s going to grow from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradbury said McDaniels\u2019 offense is like nothing he\u2019s ever seen before. But once you get it, once you master it, and understand all the verbiage, it\u2019s a piece of cake.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the film we\u2019ve watched from this offense, the glory years, and you see how (Tom) Brady played with such quickness, timing, knew where he was going with it because he mastered the system,\u201d Bradbury said. \u201cYou can understand that once you master this system, you have all the answers to the book. And so once he gets that, he\u2019ll be in a good place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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