Drake Maye is viewed as the present and future of the New England Patriots. The Patriots selected him with the third pick of the 2024 draft, and he's key to Mike Vrabel's side for the foreseeable future.With the Patriots starting preseason tonight versus the Washington Commanders, let's look at Maye's availability for the matchup.Is Drake Maye playing tonight?Yes, Drake Maye is playing tonight against the Washington Commanders. The Patriots' QB1 will feature in some capacity against the NFC powerhouse in their opening preseason game for the 2025 campaign.According to Fantasy Pros, Maye and fellow healthy starters will play. So, barring any injury concerns, Maye and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson could lineup together for the first time.However, it's presently unclear whether perennial Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs will feature. Diggs joined the Patriots on a three-year contract worth $63.5 million after suffering an ACL injury while playing for the Houston Texans.Thankfully, the Patriots still have two preseason games after tonight's fixture. They'll face off against the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants before their regular-season opener versus the Las Vegas Raiders.How did Drake Maye perform in his rookie season?Drake Maye excelled with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and he was viewed as the best available pick to lead former Patriots coach Jerod Mayo's offense.Mayo opted to take his time with introducing Maye to the NFL. The first-time head coach started veteran Jacoby Brissett for the first four games of the season. However, Mate was elevated to the starting quarterback role after Brissett went 1-4.Maye did not relinquish the starting job, and he ended the season with a stat line of 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 picks in 13 games (12 starts). He earned his first Pro Bowl selection as a replacement for Josh Allen, who opted out of the game.Maye enters his sophomore season with solid momentum and an improved team around him. The Patriots spent heavily in free agency and made the most of their draft picks. It all starts with tonight's game against the Commanders.