What happened: Drake Maye was credited with possessing the traits teams seek at quarterback. Josh McDaniels' offense is teaching him to win at the line of scrimmage, with Tom Brady's pre-snap command as the model.

Why it matters: That benchmark puts defensive recognition and control before the snap at the center of Maye's development. Sustaining that progress would strengthen his place among the league's ascending young quarterbacks.

What to watch: Maye's early 2026 starts will test how consistently that pre-snap preparation translates against live defenses.