It's been six years since New England Patriots won the Super Bowl. Since then, they have fallen on hard times. Tom Brady left the team a year after and signed with Tampa Bay, they parted ways with Bill Belichick in 2022, and fired former player Jerod Mayo in his only season as the head coach after finishing 4-13 in 2024.
The Patriots are now handing the keys over to Mike Vrabel. But unlike Mayo, he was a head coach with Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, with a record of 56-48 including postseason. Vrabel himself is eager for redemption after his last two seasons in Tennessee ended with a 13-21 record and was fired though many believe he lost a power struggle with then general manager Ran Carthon, who was fired after 3-14 season in 2024.
Vrabel's past experience and being a former player with three Super Bowl rings under Belichick should serve him well and buy some time as the Patriots look to rebound. However, Vrabel will find that the current Patriots lack star power on this roster. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, and quarterback Drake Maye are a solid foundation to build on. But they need a lot more talent.
Patriots should make Travis Hunter's dream come true
The upcoming draft is where the Patriots better hope they have luck on their side. Travis Hunter, a Heisman Trophy winner, would be a perfect addition to a team that is lacking star power. Hunter played both CB and WR at Colorado under Deion Sanders. And like Sanders, Hunter wants to play both positions in the NFL.
The Patriots would be a perfect place for Hunter as he can play both positions and become the NFL version of Shohei Ohtani. He and Gonzalez could become a dangerous CB tandem that would help elevate their defense while Vrabel and his offensive staff can come up with creative ways to get Hunter the ball from Maye.
While other teams are debating about Hunter's position in the NFL, the Patriots could do a lot worse by not selecting a talent like Hunter fifth overall. And if he does succeed, the Patriots deserve credit for allowing Hunter to thrive and perhaps start a new trend around the NFL.