Are Krafts overstepping by seeking help on Maye? Ted Johnson weighs in originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots are all-in on developing Drake Maye as their franchise quarterback of the future. And that apparently includes the involvement of ownership.
As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Sunday on Patriots Pregame Live, the Patriots have “done some research over the past few weeks” about “how to handle a young quarterback” like Maye. According to Breer, team owner Robert Kraft and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft, have been involved in that research.
“The Krafts have asked people and done their homework on what the right way to handle a young quarterback is and how they’re going to do that going forward,” Breer said.
The Krafts obviously have good intentions here. They clearly want to avoid a Mac Jones redux — the team traded the young QB just three years after taking him No. 15 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft — and after parting ways with Bill Belichick this past offseason, ownership wants to make sure Maye has the right infrastructure around him.
But if you ask former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson, there’s a downside to the Krafts getting involved, especially if it’s public knowledge that they’re seeking opinions outside the organization.
“I like that they’re asking around, but I don’t like that it gets out,” Johnson said Tuesday on Boston Sports Tonight, as seen in the video player above. “I think it undermines your offensive coordinator a little bit and I think it undermines your head coach.
“The report is that the Krafts are doing the calling. It really should be the head coach that’s doing the calling. So, I just worry about that relationship. Clearly we’ve all kind of wondered now that Bill is gone, how much power do the Krafts have? If they’re the ones that are kind of spearheading this behind the scenes, I just think that can be a tricky thing for a young coach and possibly undermine your offensive coordinator.
“… I don’t like that it’s getting out because I think it makes the head coach look bad and it puts a lot more pressure on Alex Van Pelt.”
Again, the Krafts gathering intel on how to best support their rookie QB isn’t a bad thing on its face. But to Johnson, it’s a matter of optics.
First-year head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt — as well as de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and the front office — should feel empowered to make the decisions they feel are best for Maye. And even if they are empowered behind the scenes, Breer’s report at least could give the impression that the Krafts are pulling rank on Mayo, Van Pelt and the front office when it comes to Maye’s development.
The good news for the Patriots is that Maye appears to have serious potential. The 22-year-old North Carolina product helped New England upset the Chicago Bears last Sunday and showcased his leadership ability by addressing the team after a poor mid-week practice.
The next step for the Patriots will be upgrading the talent around Maye, and if they find the right pieces, the rebuild in Foxboro could be accelerated.