Mike Vrabel hiring was far from the best-case scenario for Patriots QB Drake Maye

Hiring Mike Vrabel will help the Patriots win the press conference. It remains to be seen whether or not the former New England star will help the franchise get the most out of their most precious asset. Hiring a more offensive-minded head coach like Ben Johnson would have been a superior outcome for quarterback Drake Maye.

It's very possible that the Patriots' decision to bring Vrabel back to Foxborough will work out. He's an accomplished leader who was No. 1 on several team's coaching boards heading into the offseason. Vrabel provides the franchise with a clear upgrade over Jerod Mayo on the sidelines.

Finding an upgrade over Mayo was not the task at hand though. Instead, the Patriots should have prioritized giving their young, franchise quarterback the best head coach to help him fulfill his substantial potential. It's hard to argue that Vrabel was the best choice available to accomplish that goal.

Patriots could come to regret Mike Vrabel hire if Drake Maye struggles

The reality that Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is still available on the open market makes this a questionable hire for New England. There are reasonable doubts over how Johnson will handle going from coordinator to head coach but his play calling credentials are not in question. He's made Jared Goff look like a star in Detroit and Maye has even more talent for him to mold.

Vrabel has a chance to outperform Johnson but he'll need to hire an innovative offense mind to lead the Patriots on that side of the ball. Perhaps combining Vrabel with a coordinator like Josh McDaniels can provide New England with a superior outcome than what Johnson would have done with the job. That's certainly the bet the Kraft family is making.

Behind the scenes, the higher-ups in New England should be sweating out where Johnson ends up. If he lands with another team with a dynamic young quarterback they might rue their decision to make the safer higher with Vrabel. The Patriots had a chance to go all-in on Maye and they failed to do so. That makes the Vrabel hire much riskier than it appears at first glance.