Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt looks on as quarterback Drake Maye takes a snap during practice earlier this summer. Nick O’Malley/Boston Herald

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Ahead of the New England Patriots’ much-anticipated quarterback decision, Drake Maye received a glowing review from offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

Speaking before Thursday’s practice, Van Pelt said he’s been impressed by Maye and the steady improvement New England’s first-round rookie QB has shown.

Maye is battling with veteran Jacoby Brissett, who remains the favorite to start against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

“(Maye has) taken steps forward every single day, and that’s the big thing,” Van Pelt said. “There’s no regression. He’s taking what he’s learned from the previous practices and applying it to the next practice. He’s been really impressive, the last few weeks especially.”

Van Pelt said the decision on when to start Maye will depend “some, but not all” on the status of New England’s unsettled offensive line. The Patriots have cycled through more than a half-dozen starting offensive line combos this summer in the search for consistency at the tackle positions.

Maye has repped almost exclusively with the second-string line since the start of training camp, though he has seen a slight uptick in first-team reps of late. Van Pelt said he wants to see the 21-year-old work more with the starters.

“Obviously, we’ve got to get (Maye) out there and watch him play,” Van Pelt said. “We’d obviously like to get him out there with the first group if we can and see him operate with the first offense.”

Asked what’s holding him back from giving Maye more first-team opportunities, Van Pelt replied: “Jacoby.”

“Right now, he’s our starting quarterback,” he said of Brissett. “The good news is this week we get to play everybody. We’re still in the evaluation process. We have one more preseason game, and our guys are going to play, so we’ll have a chance to evaluate them.”

Van Pelt said he has full confidence in the 31-year-old Brissett, whom he coached with the Browns in 2022, but that Maye is building a case for himself. Maye outperformed his veteran position mate in New England’s second preseason game, and his improved confidence has been visible on the practice field.

“Jacoby has tons of experience, not just in the NFL but in this system,” Van Pelt said. “We’ve won games with him in Cleveland, so I’m comfortable with his understanding. But again, Drake is pushing.”

“His confidence is growing,” quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney added, “and he’s getting better and better. It’s been really good.”

The Patriots plan to make their final decision on which QB will start by next Monday or Tuesday, per head coach Jerod Mayo. They’ll play their final preseason game Sunday night against the Washington Commanders. All four signal-callers (Brissett, Maye, Joe Milton III and Bailey Zappe) are expected to see action as New England makes its final 53-man roster evaluations.

Beyond the competition behind center, Van Pelt said the Patriots’ offense as a whole has improved considerably since the start of training camp.

“I think we’ve made big strides offensively,” he said. “There’s a lot of new teaching. Obviously, the system is new, the verbiage is new, some of the techniques we’re teaching are new, and you’re really starting to see it pay off. I thought the last few practices, last week or so, some of the stuff showed up in our game where we feel like we’re going to have a pretty decent year.”

NO. 3 QB COMPETITION: Behind the battle for the Patriots’ starting quarterback job, another competition has unfolded this summer.

Third-year backup Bailey Zappe has fought sixth-round rookie Joe Milton for the No. 3 job every day. Zappe and Milton shared most of the third-string reps in recent practices. Sometimes, that leaves as few as three or five reps in a day.

Despite that, Zappe believes he’s done enough to show the coaching staff he belongs.

“When we talked first in training camp, the biggest thing I wanted to fix was turnovers,” he said after Wednesday’s practices. “Those last two games versus the Bills and the Jets (last year), that was a big problem; five interceptions in the last two weeks. So going into this training camp, no interceptions, no turnovers. And we preach here ball security is job security, so that’s kind of been my focal point.

“Obviously we’ve got another game Sunday, so I’ve got to keep it up.”

Last season, Zappe started the Patriots’ final six games. He completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,272 yards, with six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Since then, the team traded former starter Mac Jones, signed projected starter Jacoby Brissett and drafted Maye and Milton last April.

NOTES: Mayo wouldn’t announce whether wide receiver Kendrick Bourne or linebacker Sione Takitaki, who haven’t practiced this summer, would start the season on the PUP list, which would keep them out for four games. He would only say that “when those guys are ready to come back, they’ll be out here practicing” … Safety Marte Mapu suffered an undisclosed injury early in training camp. Mayo still called the 2024 third-round pick “week to week” … Outside linebacker Josh Uche hasn’t practiced since Thursday’s preseason game. Mayo said Uche’s injury isn’t major … Mayo, on adding wide receiver Matt Landers and outside linebackers Kobe Jones and Christian McCarroll: “The thought process was, look, bringing in some players that we’ve identified as being potential candidates to be on our team, and see what they have.”