Rebuilding. It's a word most teams don’t want to think about and one fans hate to hear because they don’t know how long it will take. No team wants to rebuild its rosters, staff, or front offices because that means people are out of jobs, getting to know new players and coaches, and the start of a trajectory that could take years to play out.
New Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel knows the Patriots are going through a rebuild; he went as far as to say that he believes the roster will look drastically different in August than it does now. Vrabel has a plan and said he’s proud of the group he put together to execute that plan.
New England has the quarterback of the future, which is always a great place to start, but reuniting Josh McDaniels with the Patriots to help grow the young quarterback’s game and mentality was a process that began before Vrabel got the head coaching job. He talked about how he kept in touch with McDaniels during his time in Cleveland and felt he was best suited to lead their offense.
Mike Vrabel on if he views the Patriots as a long-term rebuild:
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) February 25, 2025
"Our expectations aren't going to change it's going to be to win the division, it's going to be to host playoff games and it's going to be to compete for championships ... it has to happen." (Question by Phil… pic.twitter.com/Yc2z6qQiBU
In turning over the current roster, free agency was a big point for Vrabel, and he believes that “free agency gets broken down into compensation and opportunity. We feel like we are in a position to offer both to free agents.” Judging by his expectation that the roster will look very different come August and having the most cap space in the NFL at $126.6 million, it sure looks like that’ll be the case.
Building a culture that players and fans want to be a part of is right up Vrabel’s alley with the draft picks he wants to bring into the organization. He talks about wanting to see the guys be authentic and comfortable being who they are while building an aggressive-minded team. The energy he’s going to bring is infectious. Here’s Browns general manager Andrew Berry talking about the value Vrabel brought to Cleveland in 2024:
Browns GM Andrew Berry to @tkyles39 on the value Mike Vrabel brought to Cleveland:
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) February 25, 2025
"He has this infectious energy. He's a ball coach. He loves being on the grass. He loves being with players he loves developing young coaches ... despite all he's accomplished he has the humility… pic.twitter.com/nf8gbUML6K
The coaching staff is where that energy and impact will be felt, and he made an important point about not wanting coaches in the building until midnight every night. The coaching staff and practice squads are bigger, so he wants to ensure they have enough staff prepared to deal with the size and specialization of today’s rosters.
Vrabel is setting the path down well to be a head coach that players and other coaches value and look up to, but will also look to challenge players and get the best out of them. He spent some time working with the offense in Cleveland to better understand how certain players fit into the offense and round out his experience as a defensive guy. That attitude to look at how he can get better will serve him well as he takes on the challenge of building a roster.
The Patriots have a long road ahead, but Vrabel will set the example and ensure the fans know their expectations before the real work begins. He’ll ensure his team and staff are well prepared to improve, knowing they expect to turn things around for themselves and the fans as a new era in New England begins.
