Patriots QB Drake Maye: Starting 'obviously' the goal, but focused on teammates

Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye wants to start Week 1.

But with the team’s season opener so far away, he has shorter-term goals in mind.

“That’s obviously the goal for myself, and any quarterback coming in the NFL,” Maye said Monday on WEEI. “But also, I think it’s a good opportunity to go in there and learn from Jacoby (Brissett); learn from the older guys, the other vets around there, just put my best foot forward. I think, for me, I just want to earn the respect of the guys, and get to know them first.”

To that end, Maye told WEEI’s “Jones & Mego” that he has already been in contact with the team’s other draft picks. After selecting Maye third overall, the Patriots added offensive players in every round of the draft but the fifth. Maye has already crossed paths with fourth-round receiver Javon Baker and Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton, whom the Pats picked in the sixth round.

Maye met Milton at summer passing camps, and connected with Baker when they were committed to Alabama as high school recruits. While Maye will compete with Milton for playing time, Brissett is his biggest obstacle to becoming the Week 1 starter.

The Pats signed the veteran journeyman to a 1-year, $8 million deal this offseason. Brissett has made 48 career starts over his nine-year career, which includes stops with five different teams. In 79 game appearances, he’s completed 61.8% of his passes for more than 10,000 yards, 51 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

After drafting Maye, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo declined to hand him the starting job, but didn’t shut the door on it, either.

“I think coach Mayo kind of said that: the best guy’s going to play,” Maye said. “So if that’s me, I’m ready to go. If it’s not, I’m going to prepare like it, and learn as much as I can from the other guys to get ready to do that.”