Patriots QB Drake Maye sounds off on Myles Garrett's impact for Browns

Myles Garrett is one of the most feared defensive ends in the league.

Through nine seasons in the NFL, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year has a franchise record 107.5 sacks and nearly 400 combined tackles. Garrett has also been named a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. To say he's elite is almost an understatement.

However, throughout that time the Cleveland Browns themselves have had a number of struggles and inconsistencies. The team has seemingly never been able to lockdown a franchise quarterback and wins, especially in 2025, have come rarely.

But even then, just due to Garrett's presence, teams have to gameplan to the max with how much of an impact he has.

This coming weekend, the Browns will travel to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots in what is expected to be a competitive battle. Starting quarterback for the Patriots, Drake Maye, echoed the sentiment that Garrett is a feared defender.

“He's one of the best players in the league,” Maye told reporters in Foxborough earlier this week. “He's somebody you’ve got to know where he's at. A lot of credit to him. He plays hard, he's disruptive, and he's good in the run game and the pass game. It's going to be a tough challenge.”

This season, the 29-year-old Garrett has contributed 25 tackles, 10 for a loss and five sacks. His best game of the season came in Week One against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he found five tackles, four for a loss, two sacks and three quarterback hits.

Maye will certainly will need to have his head on a swivel with Garrett flying off the edges.

The 23-year-old starter for New England was taken by the team third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He tossed for 2,276 yards on a 66.6% completion percentage to go alongside 15 touchdowns in his first year in the league. However, in 2025, he has taken a ginormous leap.

Through seven games, Maye has thrown for 1,744 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions with a league-leading 75.2% throwing mark. He also has a 116.4 passer rating and 76.8 QBR, also top marks in the league this season. His play is good enough to lead this team to a 5-2 overall record, with the team's only two losses coming to the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers.

It seems as though the Patriots may have found their franchise quarterback.

The Browns have had one of the best defenses in the league this season, providing a test for the Patriots' offense. They are coming off a dominant game against the Miami Dolphins, giving up just six points and forcing multiple turnovers.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed three turnovers, while the rest of the team fumbled the ball six times, with only one ending up in the arms of the Browns.

"They're really good. They play some man, they play tight coverage. When they do mix up zone, they do a good job of getting their eyes on the quarterback and making plays on the football," Maye said. "You see that last week. So, we’ve got a tough challenge, and it's going to start another game at home. So, it's going to be good getting back at home, but we know we’ve got a tough challenge.”

The Browns and Patriots will clash at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.