The New England Patriots aim to return to the Super Bowl as soon as possible, and preparation will be key to achieving that goal. Their first preseason game will be against the Indianapolis Colts, and while Drake Maye is expected to be held out for the occasion, Mike Vrabel revealed in a press conference that no decision has been made yet.
“I wouldn’t anticipate seeing Drake out there on Thursday,” the head coach said. “But that’s all subject to change. That’s kind of what my mindset is right now sitting here today. Really, it’s just important that we get the work in, get things accomplished that we’re looking to get accomplished. But that can always change, but I wouldn’t anticipate that happening right now.”
Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton are the other two options Vrabel has on the depth chart behind his top player. It will be a matter of seeing who ultimately takes the first snaps at Gillette Stadium against the Colts.
There’s no need to risk Maye
Given his breakout 2025 campaign, there is simply no reason for the New England Patriots to risk Drake Maye’s health in exhibition action ahead of the 2026 season. Maye proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the franchise cornerstone after completing 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions during the 2025 regular season.
Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots arrives for a minicamp at Gillette Stadium.
Furthermore, his league-leading 8.9 yards per attempt and stellar 113.5 passer rating reflected the dramatic progress he made as a passer, demonstrating complete mastery of the offense. Exposing a proved MVP-caliber quarterback to unnecessary physical hits and potential injury in meaningless games offers virtually zero developmental upside, making his physical preservation for Week 1 the organization’s highest priority.
Preseason games for the Patriots
The New England Patriots will kick off their three-game 2026 preseason schedule at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, August 13, when they host the Indianapolis Colts. They will stay in Foxborough for their second exhibition matchup on Saturday, August 22, taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Vrabel‘s team will then wrap up its preseason slate on the road on Thursday, August 27, traveling to face the Cleveland Browns.
More on DeVito and Morton
Tommy DeVito, who originally joined New England after being claimed off waivers from the New York Giants in August 2025, stepped into the primary backup role after signing an off-season extension. Meanwhile, Behren Morton arrives as a 2026 seventh-round draft pick out of Texas Tech, where he threw for 8,986 yards and 71 touchdowns across 42 collegiate games, giving the Patriots a promising developmental option to compete for snaps throughout the preseason.
