Patriots open preseason Thursday night vs Colts, but Drake Maye will likely sit, Mike Vrabel says

The New England Patriots’ first preseason game of 2026 is set for Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts, but coach Mike Vrabel said the team is not planning to have its starting quarterback play. Vrabel’s comments suggest quarterback Drake Maye will likely sit during the opener, with the Patriots treating the early preseason snap count as part of a longer evaluation process rather than a quarterback showcase.

According to Vrabel, Maye is not expected to participate when the Patriots take the field for their season’s opening preseason test. The decision keeps the focus on other roster players and packages intended for early-season assessment, including backup quarterback work and the game reps available to position groups fighting for depth spots.

Preseason openers often serve two goals for coaching staffs: to see how the fundamentals hold up under live-game tempo and to evaluate roles across the roster beyond the first unit. With the starting quarterback expected to be out, the Patriots’ offensive starters who do play will effectively be auditioning for a range of possibilities, from specific situational assignments to longer-term roles that extend beyond this single week.

For the Colts, the matchup is similarly structured. Indianapolis will get a look at New England’s approach when the Patriots’ quarterback-leading reps are held back. That matters for both teams because the first preseason appearance can shape how the rest of the early slate of exhibitions is managed, especially for players competing for offensive and defensive playing time.

The Patriots-Colts game also provides a clearer window into New England’s preseason hierarchy. Even without Maye in the field, the team’s quarterback play beyond the starters, the cadence of the offensive line, and how the Patriots manage protections and route timing can indicate how the coaching staff plans to build continuity as the preseason progresses.

What to watch next is whether Maye’s absence is strictly limited to the opener or extends to subsequent exhibitions. Vrabel’s statement frames the decision as one for the immediate game, but it does not, by itself, define Maye’s full preseason workload. The next coach-to-player updates, along with the Patriots’ in-game usage of their other quarterbacks, should clarify how New England is pacing reps as the regular season approaches.

For now, the Patriots enter Thursday night with a message that the opener is about evaluation across the depth chart, not the starting quarterback’s availability. With Maye expected to sit, the spotlight will shift to everyone else trying to prove they can earn meaningful roles when the meaningful games begin.