The road to the starting role for New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye appears to be a lengthy one.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Patriots are prepared to start the season with Jacoby Brissett as the starter and allow Maye to get acclimated to the professional game. On Saturday, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo acknowledged that Maye has plenty of work to do before he becomes the team's leader.

"He has a lot to work on. A lot to work on," Mayo said, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "But I have no doubt that he will put the time in. He was here all night trying to get on the same page as everyone else."

Mayo continued by saying that Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will likely be the one providing the most instruction to Maye, with him emphasizing that the team wants to keep that instructional process simple and efficient.

"There has to be balance there, you don't' want Drake hearing too many voices," he said. "You have to have a small circle that you can talk to and trust. I know AVP is in that circle with Drake."

The Patriots selected Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is the highest-drafted quarterback for the franchise since it took Drew Bledsoe No. 1 in the 1993 Draft. He is the second quarterback the Patriots have selected in the first round this decade, however, as it utilized a first-round pick on Mac Jones in 2021.

Jones would start right away and even earned a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season. However, he regressed in the following two seasons and would eventually be dealt to the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.

Mayo and the Patriots appear set on making sure the same mistakes aren't made with Maye, who was rated as the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 Draft by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

He threw for 8,018 passing yards and 63 touchdowns in three seasons at North Carolina, winning ACC Player of the Year in 2022. He also has a plus arm, passes the eye test at 6'5", 220-pounds and received compliments from his new teammates during the workouts.

Still, his footwork has been something that is questioned, as is a regression in stats during his 2023 season.

Mayo's approach appears to signal that the team wants to improve on any issues before he takes the field, and with a team that went 4-13 in 2023, a slow and steady approach may be the most logical.