Kraft-Drake Maye Report Highlights Potential Patriots Direction

The vibes were good for the Patriots after Week 10, but the reports around ownership don’t paint a great picture.

Robert Kraft was shown in a behind-the-scenes video predicting a good Drake Maye game against the Chicago Bears. Everyone around New England naturally is high on the rookie quarterback, who shows potential to be the next franchise quarterback.

That was also the thought with Mac Jones when the NFL drafted him in the 2021 draft, but he sank and failed out of One Patriot Place, which seemed to irritate Kraft and likely accelerated Bill Belichick’s dismissal. As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported this week on NBC Sports Boston, it might be why Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft are asking around the NFL for advice on developing Maye.

This is odd for multiple reasons. What secrets are the Krafts seeking to pry from other teams? Are they hoping for a magic formula to turn the Patriots into a Super Bowl contender? Also, why is ownership stepping in and doing this and not Jerod Mayo and his coaching staff?

It seems obvious what New England needs to do to help Maye. The offensive line needs bolstering, and the team must add multiple high-end wide receivers — Tee Higgins would be the perfect No. 1 target for the rookie signal-caller. What are we missing here?

The report hints at a lack of trust in Alex Van Pelt. The first-year offensive coordinator left a lot to be desired in the first half of the season. In his defense, there aren’t many play-callers who could have done a better job than he did. Ownership also likely doesn’t seem to have a lot of faith in quarterbacks coach T. C. McCartney and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo.

While the vibes were good after a Week 10 win, if things spiral at the end of the season, Van Pelt could be a scapegoat. Mayo spoke last week about learning from his mistakes when he noted he’s been keeping notes during the season. That hinted at a person with a lot of job security.

Van Pelt arguably deserves another year to prove himself. Maye and other players credited the 54-year-old for his work on the offense. That public support could help Van Pelt, but the desperation from ownership could cause changes at the end of the season.