Mike Vrabel may have been the best head-coaching candidate hired this past offseason cycle, but there are some faults in how the New England Patriots' roster is being constructed under his watch. For as much of an emphasis as the Patriots have put on defense, they are running out of options to improve their wide receiver corps. Does Cooper Kupp feel like a Patriot? Maybe, but that might be it.
Vrabel is a former linebacker from his playing days, namely with the Patriots during the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era. He cut his teeth as a defensive-minded coach when he led the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel is a strong in-game tactician, but prefers to win games with defense and a ground-and-pound approach to offense. This worked when he played and coached at Tennessee, but what about now?
As long as Drake Maye continues to emit franchise quarteback vibes, he is this team's most important player. Surely, Vrabel and everyone at One Patriot Place knows that. However, we have seen Vrabel largely overachieve in Nashville by leaning on his bell-cow back of Derrick Henry and playing timely defense. Ryan Tannehill played his best years there, but he was only a complement.
The Patriots can really only go up from here, but how they build this roster will define their ceiling.
Mike Vrabel's New England Patriots might be way too defensive-heavy
While I am certainly a fan of the Carlton Davis, Harold Landry and Milton Williams additions, this team needs to get more competent on offense yesterday. Maye is a mega talent, but talent only takes you so far in the NFL. Despite the Patriots having the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, does it make sense for them to take a hopeful two-way player in Travis Hunter out of Colorado with that pick?
Truth be told, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner out of Colorado might be exactly what they need. I am just afraid that he is not going to be a Chuck Bednarik-type out on the perimeter for the Pats. While I would prefer him to play just cornerback, the Patriots could actually use him in the receiving corps. In a way, it would not shock me if the Patriots traded back a bit to pick up more picks and get a receiver.
Maybe that is what the Patriots plan to do in the 2025 NFL Draft, the first where Vrabel and Eliot Wolf will be working together. Keep in mind that a disagreement on how to handle a wide receiver situation culminated in Vrabel being out of a job in Nashville. Jon Robinson traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Vrabel was livid. Two years later, they were both out of a job leading the Titans.
The only thing I can hope for with Vrabel in his second NFL opportunity is that he values his receivers.