The Patriots will allow rookie Drake Maye to make one final push for the starting quarterback job before Week 1.

Whether that comes with first-team reps in practice this week is to be determined, however, according to Coach Jerod Mayo.

“I do,” Mayo said Friday morning when asked if he still sees a competition between Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett for the Week 1 starting job. “We have three more days of training camp practices, and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate, and the competition isn’t over. They’re still going to go out there, and they have to show not only themselves and their coaches, but also their teammates. So it’s definitely still a competition.”

Maye, who was 6 of 11 for 47 yards with a rushing touchdown, outplayed Brissett during Thursday night’s 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles. Brissett started and was just 3 of 7 for 17 yards with an interception Mayo called “a poor play, terrible play” that the veteran QB forced with other receivers open. Maye, meanwhile, should have had another long completion on a perfect throw to Javon Baker that the rookie wide receiver dropped while hitting the ground.

It hasn’t looked like much of a legitimate competition through the first three weeks of training camp. Brissett has taken all first-team reps in practice, and he’s started both preseason games. Mayo said the staff will decide Friday if Maye has earned starting reps in practice over the final stretch of training camp.

“We’ll see. We’ll have a staff meeting later on today, and that decision will be made,” Mayo said. “I do think he definitely showed improvement yesterday as a whole, and we’ll see what happens going forward.”

Mayo said Maye’s lack of first-team reps up to this point had been part of the staff’s plan for the rookie QB, but “you have to adjust those plans based on the competition.”

It appears the competition is heating up.

Maye looked better in Thursday’s preseason game than he had in practice, in part, because he could use his mobility to create plays even with pressure bearing down on him. Maye has appeared to take a slew of “sacks” (contact isn’t allowed on QBs) in practice, because he’s asked to stay in the pocket. The rookie rolled out Thursday to avoid some sacks and turn them into throwaways.

“Some of the things that happened over the last couple of weeks was just stepping up into pressure, and I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays, and he made some good throws,” Mayo said. “We didn’t come down with the catch, but he definitely took a step forward.”

Maye did take one sack when there was miscommunication between running back Kevin Harris and left tackle Vederian Lowe on a dropback. Harris chipped Eagles outside linebacker Nolan Smith, which redirected the pass rusher away from Lowe and into Maye.

“To see him take a hit like that is definitely unfortunate, but I would say, as a whole, I thought he moved around a lot better,” Mayo said.

Maye certainly was not perfect in Thursday’s preseason game, and Mayo pointed out one area where the 2024 third overall pick still needs to develop after the game.

“I think first and foremost is just the entire operation, I think it needs to be faster,” Mayo said. “I think he needs to get those guys in the huddle faster, get them out of the huddle faster and get to the line and just be on point. I think that’s definitely a thing that he has to work on. And I think he is and, like I said, we have three more days of camp, and that’s going to be my point of emphasis for him.”

The Patriots have faced backups in both preseason games so far, but their defense has impressed, while their offense has gotten out to slow starts.

Expect to see more of both Maye and Brissett in the Patriots’ final preseason game next Sunday in Washington against the Commanders.

“I think the entire offense definitely needs to play, continue to jell, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Mayo said Friday morning.

That game could be Maye’s final chance to pass Brissett on the QB depth chart before the team begins preparing for their Week 1 matchup with the Bengals. The Patriots will practice Saturday, Sunday and Monday before an off day Tuesday. They’ll reconvene Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before a walk-through next Saturday ahead of Sunday’s game.

INJURY UPDATE: Jerod Mayo gave an update on the situation surrounding rookie receiver JaQuae Jackson, who was carted off the field in the second half of Thursday night’s game against the Eagles.

“Obviously, a scary incident on the field,” Mayo said. “The X-rays came back negative and he’ll be getting an MRI this morning. So as soon as I get more information, I will share it.”

Jackson, who caught a touchdown last week, was down for an extended period of time. A significant portion of the Patriots bench came out in support of Jackson before he was taken off the field on a cart.

Shortly after, the Patriots announced that Jackson suffered a leg injury and would not return to the game.

Mayo added that veteran defensive back Jonathan Jones and second-year cornerback Marcus Jones – who both have been held out of contact drills during training camp – “are very close to returning.”

Jones is one of the Patriots’ longest-tenured and versatile defenders. He projects to be a prominent part of New England defense after spending last season as one of the primary cornerbacks.

Meanwhile, Jones is working his way back to the field after missing most of 2023 due to injury. Jones made a splash in 2022 as a rookie as a returner and occasional wide receiver.