Drake Maye Injury Report Debut, Turnover Struggles Define Patriots’ Week 4 Prep for Bills

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Drake Maye appeared on the New England Patriots’ injury report for the first time this season Wednesday, listed with a right shoulder issue just days after his seventh turnover of the year contributed to a lopsided loss in Jacksonville.

The designation arrived as the second-year quarterback and head coach Mike Vrabel began preparing for a Sunday road matchup against the Buffalo Bills, who sit atop the AFC East at 3-0. Despite the medical listing, Maye participated fully in practice and maintained that his throwing mechanics remain intact.

“I felt good out there today,” Maye said following the team’s first session of the week. “I wouldn’t say there is a problem with my shoulder. You’re going to get banged up every now and then, but at the same time, a lot of guys are banged up.”

The timing of the injury report addition carries specific weight given Maye’s recent medical history. The former North Carolina standout sustained a right shoulder injury during the AFC Championship Game last January, an ailment severe enough to require a pain-killing injection before he took the field for Super Bowl LX. When questioned after Sunday’s 35-6 defeat to the Jaguars whether lingering effects from that postseason trauma were influencing his current play, Maye pushed back on the premise.

His statistical profile through three games points more toward processing errors than physical limitations. Maye has completed 63.8 percent of his passes while throwing six interceptions against a single touchdown pass. He has also lost one fumble. In Jacksonville, where he was sacked three times and added 18 rushing yards on four carries, ball security again derailed drives that otherwise showed structural competence.

“That’s what makes and breaks play for quarterbacks,” Maye said. “I don’t feel like we’re struggling to move the ball. I think we’re turning the football over, doing things that are preventing us from scoring touchdowns.”

The 1-2 start represents a sharp regression for a franchise that reached the Super Bowl eight months ago under Vrabel, who returned to the NFL sideline after serving as an analyst and consultant following his tenure with the Tennessee Titans. Managing a young quarterback coming off a deep playoff run presents distinct challenges, particularly when early-season adversity invites scrutiny of the coach-player dynamic.

That scrutiny intensified Sunday when cameras captured Vrabel wrapping his arms around Maye’s shoulder pads on the sideline immediately following the quarterback’s third turnover of the game. The gesture prompted questions Wednesday about the state of their working relationship.

“Coach Vrabel’s been one of the best football coaches I’ve had in my life,” Maye said. “I’ve loved playing for him, and it’s not going to change. The way he pushes me, and he coaches the quarterbacks in a way that I really respect.”

Vrabel, who approached Maye during a stretching period early in Wednesday’s practice for a private conversation, reinforced his commitment to the 2024 first-round pick.

“I had choices as to where I wanted to coach. I wanted to coach here because Drake was the quarterback,” Vrabel said.

The margin for error shrinks considerably this weekend. Buffalo enters the divisional clash undefeated, anchored by a defense that has consistently pressured opposing signal-callers. For a Patriots offense attempting to correct its turnover ratio while monitoring its starting quarterback’s throwing shoulder, the environment in Orchard Park will serve as an immediate stress test. Maye was a full participant in Wednesday’s walkthrough.