Along with his play on the field, Maye is emerging as a leader for the Patriots.
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.
One way Vrabel has encouraged Maye to be a vocal leader is by leading the team in conditioning runs to end practice.
“I’m just trying not to screw the guys over with the cadence and have them jump offsides,” Maye said.
Like every team in the NFL, the Patriots aren’t playing games that count anytime soon.
“I’m starting to really find a stride,” Maye remarked. The league uses different words and different language, but the concepts are all the same. Most of the time, the same guys run [routes], but you can tell by their timing and style how they approach various concepts. It has been going well. “..”.
Maye was productive on Monday, as only a few balls struck the ground. The Pats’ quarterback made a deep drop from under center during an early team period, which was timed to WR Kayshon Boutte’s outside route. Boutte broke on his route after Maye’s anticipatory pass, in which the ball left his hand and struck him between the numbers on his chest. The Pats wideout was perfectly seated in front of the coverage. According to this viewpoint, the offense’s positive momentum is indicated by timing routes like the Maye-to-Boutte connection.
For the first time this spring, the Patriots worked in the red zone in front of the media, moving inside the 20-yard line, which resulted in an exciting back-and-forth with the defense. Maye hit WR Kendrick Bourne in the back of the end zone for another score on a late-in-the-down read, and he also connected on touchdowns to DeMario Douglas (juke route) and RB TreVeyon Henderson (angle route). As part of McDaniels’s scheme, Henderson and Douglas were working on linebackers between the numbers while Maye was progressing and finding matchups.
“Coach [McDaniels] does a fantastic job of scheduling games and allowing the guys to win. It is something I am eager to do. “I have to play the right side [of the field], line up guys, and just take what’s open,” Maye stated.
In addition to his on-field performance, Maye is becoming a leader for the Patriots. A second-year player taking on a leadership role on a football team is unusual, as head coach Mike Vrabel stated, but that is the nature of starting quarterback in both the NFL and this sport.
Being 22 [years old] puts you in a unique position. Many leadership traits come naturally. To help the players realize that everyone is a different version of themselves, I must support him, keep supporting him, and place him in the right situations. We all need to realize that the version on the field is a little different from the one that may be off the field. There are also versions that may be in the meeting room and off the field,” Vrabel stated prior to practice.
Maye stated that he sees it as a chance to “take a jump” from his rookie season to year two after he finds his voice as a Patriots leader.
“As a rookie the previous year, I tried to come in here and earn my stripes by working hard. The same strategy is being used this year. We have new employees and new guys here. I need to demonstrate my work ethic and continue to get to know everyone. Try to advance in your leadership and take the offensive from there,” Maye said.
Leading the squad in conditioning runs to wrap up practice is one way Vrabel has pushed Maye to be an outspoken leader. With Maye in the middle of the team, Vrabel has him shout a rhythm as if he were at the line of scrimmage to tell the other ninety players to begin running.
Maye stated, “I just don’t want to mess up the cadence and make the guys jump offsides.”. “In order to follow the defense’s actions and support the players blocking up front, cadence is crucial in this league. This league’s D-lines are all excellent. Those guys can listen to the cadence and conditioning while they’re exhausted. “.
It is becoming increasingly anticipated that Maye will have a spectacular second season and lead the Patriots to more victories as he finds greater success in this league. With all of the excitement surrounding New England in Vrabel’s first season as head coach, Maye isn’t hesitating to set high standards.
“You have high standards in mind. We are attempting to return to the winning culture that the Patriots are accustomed to. You want your performance to be expected. It’s that pressure that keeps you going and helps you perform well in practice. It’s what motivates you to put in a lot of effort in meetings and the gym so that last year’s events don’t happen again,” Maye said.
The Patriots aren’t playing any games that matter anytime soon, just like any other NFL team. Nevertheless, you want to watch your bright second-year quarterback get better every practice. The offense is heading in the right direction going into the summer, as evidenced by Maye’s increasing confidence with each practice this spring.
