New England Patriots
“Mike Vrabel is a draw. They’ve any individual on employees in Josh McDaniels, who coached him.”
The Patriots have loads of work to do on the subject of upgrading a roster that fell only one win in need of a Tremendous Bowl title.
One space of want must be an edge rusher.
Regardless of New England dialing up loads of blitzes throughout their playoff run, they had been solely in a position to sack Sam Darnold as soon as throughout Tremendous Bowl LX.
Throughout regular-season motion, the Patriots ranked simply twenty sixth in whole sacks with 35.0 over 17 video games, whereas rating twentieth in sack proportion (5.9 %).
Okay’Lavon Chaisson had a breakout 12 months with 7.5 sacks, however he might be on the transfer as a pending free agent, whereas Harold Landry (8.5 sacks) tailed off because the season went on attributable to a lingering knee harm.
However, New England might be within the combine for one of many high offseason targets throughout the NFL in Professional Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
Crosby — who has recorded 69.5 sacks over 110 profession video games with the Raiders — might be on the transfer after his relationship with the one NFL crew he’s performed for has reportedly damaged down.
In accordance with Sports activities Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the choice by the Raiders to close down Crosby earlier than the top of the 2025 season attributable to a knee situation ruffled some feathers.
“There’s numerous fence-mending that’s going to want to occur if the Raiders are going to hold on to Maxx Crosby,” Breer said on NBC Sports Boston’s Early Edition. “It goes all the way in which to the highest of the group with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. The way in which the communication occurred with the harm in December left a mark.
“This can be a man who’s extremely loyal to the Raiders group, needed to spend his whole profession there, and is loyal to Mark Davis as properly. Now, he feels betrayed, and I believe that there’s this sense, ‘I’m 28 years outdated, they didn’t do proper by me, so now it’s time for me to go discover a solution to win.’”
In accordance with Breer, the function of Alex Guerrero — Brady’s longtime coach who joined the Raiders as a “wellness coordinator” — has prompted a few of the fracture in Crosby’s relationship with Las Vegas.
“He was a part of speaking the Raiders’ resolution, and why they made the choice to close him down in December, which actually angered Maxx,” Breer added. “I imagine the day was [December] 23 once they had some scans accomplished, and the Raiders mainly instructed him after the scans, ‘We’re gonna shut you down for the season.’
“Maxx had robust suspicion that the explanation they had been doing it was to tank for the No. 1 general decide, which labored. However the communication of it obtained fouled up. And lots of people in that constructing report back to Alex Guerrero now, and Alex is seen because the eyes and ears of Tom Brady internally, so there may be some fence-mending that must occur there.”
If Crosby does ask out of Vegas, the Patriots can be a pure match. T
The five-time Professional Bowler can be a menace on the sting, particularly when paired with a defensive position that already options Milton Williams and Christian Barmore up entrance.
Even along with his knee harm, Crosby recorded 10 sacks, two pressured fumbles, and 28 tackles for loss throughout 15 video games in 2025.
In accordance with Breer, the Patriots can be one among many groups within the combine if Crosby requests a contemporary begin elsewhere.
“My understanding is there are a bunch of contenders which have already at the least signaled curiosity,” Breer stated. “I believe the Patriots will probably be one among them, and I might say that for that participant specifically, Mike Vrabel is a draw. They’ve any individual on employees in Josh McDaniels, who coached him.
“There’s some scheme match stuff there too, which, who isn’t Maxx Crosby a scheme match for? It will make numerous sense, so if there was any individual that I believe they may commerce for, I believe Maxx can be it.”
Talking through the week main as much as the Tremendous Bowl, NFL insider Dianna Russini stated on 98.5 The Sports activities Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” that Crosby would welcome the opportunity to play for a Mike-Vrabel-coached team.
“As for this upcoming off season, exterior of simply free company, the factor that I’m going to be watching are these gamers that maybe need trades,” Russini stated. “That’s what I need to see. Maxx Crosby doesn’t appear too pleased in Las Vegas. Is he going to ask for one formally and ask out? Is {that a} man? I can inform you, I do know he desires to play for Mike Vrabel. He’s instructed me earlier than.”
Join the At this time e-newsletter
Get all the pieces you could know to begin your day, delivered proper to your inbox each morning.
