“Yes,” said the coach.

“It’s still in the protocol. He is still in the protocol and going through that process. It will be limited. It’s been limited so far this week. It will be limited today too.

“Look, any day any player can wake up with something and not be able to play. I’ll say this: Look, if he can’t play, then we have enough confidence in Jacoby (Brissett) and Joe (Milton III) that they can step in and help us win the football game.”

Brissett, who was benched last month He worked in relief against the Jets, favoring Maye and the veteran Led the Patriots to a pair of second-half touchdown drives With a 25-22 victory.

“Jacoby was terrific,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “I thought he did a great job stepping in, making big moves with his legs and his arm. He got us into some great calls between attacking and pressing looks. So I’m really proud of him stepping up like he did the other times.”

The return to participation protocol lists five steps a player must complete before returning to the field following a concussion. Based on Maye’s practice this week, it would be reasonable to assume he is in Phase 4, which is “club-based non-contact drills” that appear to be Thursday and Friday.

In the brief window the media were allowed to watch Friday morning, Maye was on the field with his teammates and moving smoothly. Just like Thursday, he was taking reps ahead of Brissett and Milton.

In order for Maye to pass Phase 5 (‘full football activity/clearance’), he will need to be cleared for full contact by the New England team doctor. It must then be examined by an Independent Neurological Consultant for definitive confirmation. If he gets this, he will be eligible to play on Sunday.

Mayo, meanwhile, said the team did a good job of dealing with the uncertainty at quarterback this week and that there wasn’t a dramatic difference in Maye’s and Brissett’s playing styles.

“It’s not a huge difference, it’s like having the blazing fast quarterback in Michael Vick versus having the best pocket passer. It’s not that big of a contrast or difference in terms of game planning.

“But we’ve got some things we need to fix, and those guys handled it well. Not just the quarterback position, but all the players (offensive line, linebackers, tight ends, running backs) no matter who the quarterback is, they’re all in tune with what we need to do.”

“We’ve played with both quarterbacks since the OTAs,” wide receiver KJ Osborn said. “I don’t think this will be a big adjustment. But we’ll see what happens.

“It could be a problem elsewhere. But again, we’ve been playing with these guys since the spring, so it’s not something we have to get used to. We’re used to both of them, so it’s good.”

“I’ve been doing this since college,” said wide receiver DeMario Douglas, who played with four quarterbacks, including three in one game, during his senior season at Liberty.

“That’s why practice is so important. You want to get as many reps as possible with each and just work on your timing. “This helps.”

If Maye is not cleared, Brissett will start and Milton will serve as the primary backup for the first time in his NFL career.

Mayo praised Milton for his work as the leader of the scout team offense, noting that the rookie was one of the Practice Players of the Week heading into the Jets game.

“Joe did a great job,” Mayo said of the sixth-round pick. “First of all, he is a natural leader. It gets the guys going, which is great.

“Obviously, he has all the skills and tools to go out there and make all the throws, but I think he’s done a good job looking at his mentality and his leadership development or progression.”

Christopher Price can be reached at [email protected]. follow him @cpriceglobe.