The New England Patriots just dropped their first injury report for the Week 4 game against the Buffalo Bills, and right there, front and center, is quarterback Drake Maye with a right shoulder issue. Even wilder? This isn’t just some random new tweak. We’re talking about the exact same shoulder that was barking at him in January, limiting him big time before our Seattle Seahawks famously handed them that Super Bowl L loss.
“Full Practice,” But Is It Really Fine?
Maye was a full practice participant on Wednesday, meaning he took every single rep he normally would. After practice, the guy basically brushed off any concern. “No, it hasn’t,” he told reporters, sounding pretty casual about it. “I felt good out there today.” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was singing a similar tune on Monday, saying he didn’t expect the shoulder to be an issue. He even chalked it up to “normal maintenance” after an NFL game where you’re bound to get hit. The thing is, this shoulder problem magically appeared on the report out of nowhere, with no mention of it previously. And it’s impossible to forget this isn’t his first rodeo with this specific right shoulder. Remember that AFC Championship Game in January? Yep, same shoulder, same pain. That ailment, combined with an illness, flat out limited him in the days leading up to their Super Bowl matchup with *our* Seahawks.
Those Numbers Don’t Lie (and They’re Bad)
Despite all the “it’s fine” talk, Maye’s 2026 season has been, let’s just say, noticeably underwhelming. The MVP runner-up from last year has been struggling hard. Through three games, he’s only completed 63.8% of his pass attempts for a measly 585 yards. Want to talk touchdowns? He’s got just one. Interceptions? A brutal six. He even coughed up a fumble. To put it bluntly, the dude is ranked 28th among qualifying NFL quarterbacks in expected points added per play, sitting at a miserable -0.070. Maye isn’t blaming the shoulder for this dumpster fire, though. He claims it doesn’t mess with his decision-making, which he says “makes and breaks play for quarterbacks.” He thinks they’re not moving the ball badly, but they’re just “turning the football over, doing things that are preventing us from scoring touchdowns.” He even reminisced about their “history of good football when we don’t turn the football over.” Honestly, those numbers are screaming a louder story than his words right now.
Can He Turn the Ship Against the Bills?
So, Maye says he’s looking forward to “another good week of practice,” but the Patriots are heading into a crucial Week 4 battle against the Buffalo Bills with their starting QB’s old Super Bowl injury suddenly popping up again. Even if he says it’s not bothering him, and Vrabel tries to downplay it, you can’t ignore the history, especially when his early season performance is so bad. They need him to protect the ball and get it together, fast. This game could really show if those old ghosts from that Super Bowl loss to our Hawks are still haunting his right arm, or if he can actually shake off the rust and the pain.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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