Patriots QB pair with zip in arms is exciting

I have a lot of respect for my colleagues who can propose authentic takeaways after the Patriots’ first preseason game.

I can’t bring myself to pull out the old rug of jumping to conclusions after a preseason game. There’s not enough information to draw conclusions from. I can glean hints, but not many answers. Not yet.

The Panthers’ best players (that’s not an oxymoron, honestly) weren’t in uniform. The Patriots’ varsity players, especially the defense, were walking the sidelines instead of on the field. And it was raining so hard at times that the Krafts might have regretted not parking an arch near the lighthouse.

Third overall pick Drake Maye is by far the most interesting and important aspect of this team, and the rookie quarterback played the entire series.

But I can give you a real lesson, one that might spark some broader thoughts about where the Patriots are in 2024 and where they’re headed:

It’s so nice to see a Patriots quarterback who can throw a fastball when the circumstances call for it.

In fact, they now have two players who can throw it, two more than last year, when Mac Jones led the NFL in the complex advanced statistic “Dying Mallards rose slowly to leave no one in particular.” Most of us know that term by the common acronym DMHSTNOIP. An important statistic. A popular statistic.

Maye’s presence — and to a much greater extent, a lot To a lesser extent, sixth-round pick Joe Milton III, who will be the darling of sports radio for the remainder of training camp after Thursday, is the bedrock of any hopes for better days ahead.

It was Milton, the speed-rusher-sized, back-flipping, ridiculously raw 24-year-old who gave fans something to dream about against the Panthers.

Milton, who entered the game with just over four minutes left in the third quarter, completed 4 of 6 passes for 56 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to JaQuae Jackson. He also ran for 22 yards, including a 13-yard run that brought fans back from their rain-soaked seats at Gillette Stadium.

Milton is a tantalizing talent, but he’s old—uh, experienced — for a rookie, and it wasn’t much of a surprise that he excelled against a Panthers defense populated with players whose names will appear in the cruel agate type on draft day.

Those familiar with Milton’s college career, first at Michigan and then Tennessee, will tell you that he clearly lacks finesse in his game; he throws that fastball off screens and timing schemes, and that’s a big reason he was the 193rd pick in the draft.

He’s a highlight-maker in our highlight-driven culture, and it’s fun to imagine what he might become. But context and an honest assessment of all his flaws suggest that what Milton is today is not far from what he will ultimately be.

It would be a Brady-versus-Bledsoe kind of twist if Milton were to challenge Maye, who is 29 months younger and far less experienced but has more variety and nuance in his quarterback toolbox.

But one thing is for sure: The Patriots would be crazy to part ways with Milton and try to add him to their practice squad. His best moments are enough to bring him in, regardless of his fundamental flaws. At the very least, he could be designated as a Hail Mary artist in situations where there are seven seconds left and the Patriots are 75 yards from the end zone.

Bailey Zappe is the Pedro Ciriaco of quarterbacks, a modest talent at best who enjoyed a fleeting run of success fueled by luck before scouting and the law of averages conspired to bring reality crashing down on him.

Milton should beat him, he probably already has, and the only real question is why Zappe is still there in the first place.

Jacoby Brissett is the experienced replacement, and he’s the right fit for the role. Milton is the fun project, similar in hype to Michael Bishop a generation ago. Maye is the future.

And while Thursday provided only a glimpse — one series, two completions in three attempts, 19 yards — you had to come away with a positive feeling about Maye, even before seeing ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky’s glowing film Friday morning.

Maye’s first accomplishment was a patient, well-executed screen to running back Antonio Gibson on third-and-13 that set up the first down. On the second series of downs, Maye made another screen to running back Kevin Harris that netted a 6-yard touchdown on third-and-11. And that was his debut.

I don’t know about you, but I was particularly impressed by the throw that Maye failed to complete, an effortless 15-yard throw that Jalen Reagor couldn’t secure.

The throw was slightly high – blame the rain – but boy, after watching Jones’ change of speed last year, it was reassuring to see that throw made with ease.

The Patriots once again have a mobile quarterback with an arm capable of throwing missiles. And even two of them. In that sense, even with the long rebuild of the beginning, this season already seems more promising than the last.