Patriots sign first-round pick quarterback Drake Maye

The New England Patriots signed Drake Maye, their first-round draft pick and likely quarterback of the future, to his four-year rookie contract today.

The Patriots did not disclose financial terms, but based on the rookie wage scale, Maye is expected to receive a full guaranteed $36.63 million contract with a $23.46 million signing bonus as the third overall pick in April’s draft.

All first-round picks’ deals carry a team option for a fifth year.

Maye starred at North Carolina in 2022 and 2023 and was the third quarterback off the board last month after Southern California’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels went 1-2 to the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders.

The Patriots moved on from former first-round pick Mac Jones, trading him to the Jacksonville Jaguars to back up Trevor Lawrence, so Maye is expected to vie for the starting role as a rookie with veteran Jacoby Brissett his primary competition.

Jerod Mayo, taking over for the legendary Bill Belichick as New England’s head coach this year, said this month that his “early impressions” of Maye were that “he has a lot to work on, but I have no doubt that he’ll put the work in.”