Patriots
Mike Vrabel is trying to proper the ship in New England after two-straight four-win seasons.
After posting back-to-back four-win seasons, the New England Patriots are in search of a clear slate in 2025.
On paper, this new Patriots roster must be higher geared up to proper the wrongs which have scuttled the once-proud franchise:
- Mike Vrabel and an skilled teaching workers now have the reins after a misplaced season underneath first-year coach Jerod Mayo.
- A Patriots roster quick on playmakers on each side of the ball invested closely in upgrading the depth chart by way of a free-agent spending spree.
- A positive schedule in 2025 ought to open the door for New England to double their win complete from the earlier season … on the very least.
- And New England boasts one of many high younger quarterbacks within the league in Drake Maye, whose continued improvement will decide simply how excessive this crew’s ceiling can be.
There may be loads of optimism radiating out of Foxborough forward of one other coaching camp.
However there are nonetheless loads of questions and issues that the Patriots should tackle this summer season if this crew needs to actually reassert itself within the AFC.
With the primary official day of coaching camp set to begin Wednesday, listed here are eight questions going through the Patriots forward of the 2025 preseason.
1. How will the offensive line shake out?
The Patriots have seemingly cleared essentially the most daunting hurdle holding again groups on the upswing within the NFL: discovering a possible franchise QB.
Maye was one of many few brilliant spots in a depressing 2024 season for New England, together with his playmaking skill with a diminished supporting solid providing hope that the UNC product will thrive because the Patriots’ depth chart improves.
However as adept as Maye is at scrambling and lengthening performs, it’s not a sustainable formulation for New England to have their franchise QB operating for his life after each snap.
If New England needs to construct a basis for achievement, it’s going to must shore up an O-line that allowed 52 sacks this previous season — the fifth-most within the NFL.
After trotting out the deal with mixture of Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs for many of 2024, New England a minimum of has some choices to show to shifting ahead.
First-round choose Will Campbell (No. 4 total) has the potential to be a stalwart at left deal with, whereas veteran Morgan Moses might stabilize issues on the appropriate facet.
After chopping David Andrews, New England changed him with Garrett Bradbury, whereas 2025 third-round pick Jared Wilson offers plenty of upside as well.
With Mike Onwenu possible slotting again to proper guard, New England’s personnel within the trenches already seems to be a lot improved.
Nonetheless, there are many query marks in place with New England’s grouping on the line of scrimmage.
Campbell has loads of potential, however rising pains must be anticipated in his rookie season, while questions about his arm length will inevitably linger.
Moses’ age is value noting at 34 years previous, whereas Bradbury was a blended bag in 2024 with the Vikings. Pro Football Focus had Bradbury graded because the 14th finest heart (out of 64) in run blocking (70.7) final season, however he additionally ranked fifty fifth in that pool in move blocking grade (48.2).
Left guard additionally stays up within the air, with Cole Unusual possible the primary man up as the previous first-round choose seems to be to recoup his worth.
New England’s O-line must be higher in 2025. However they should show that sentiment on the sector.
2. Is Stefon Diggs prepared for Week 1?
In the end, the Patriots have a No. 1 receiver to pair with Drake Maye. Perhaps.
Veteran Stefon Diggs is seemingly forward of schedule in his return from a torn ACL in October 2024. The 31-year-old wideout reportedly won’t open camp on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, providing hope that he may very well be an everyday participant sooner reasonably than later.
That might be a welcome sight for a Patriots crew in determined want of a go-to choice for Maye.
Diggs might not be the identical All-Professional stalwart who averaged 111 catches, 1,343 yards, and 9.3 touchdowns per season over his four-year run with the Payments.
However, the veteran remains to be an adept route runner who can carve up defenses and transfer the chains with regularity.
New England was adamant on including a high wideout this summer season. Even with the Patriots flush with money, Chris Godwin opted to stick with Tampa Bay in free agency, whereas DK Metcalf shivered at the thought of playing in New England earlier than getting traded to the sunny shores of Pittsburgh.
Diggs stands as a contingency plan properly value taking an opportunity on, as long as he each stays wholesome and avoids landing in Mike Vrabel’s doghouse once again.
If Diggs pops, every thing else begins falling into place for New England’s offense.
3. How will Drake Maye fare with Josh McDaniels?
At first look, pairing Maye with a seasoned offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels looks like a match made in heaven.
McDaniels’ resume is spectacular — properly past his years spent orchestrating imposing offensive items alongside Tom Brady.
If McDaniels might draw a Professional Bowl season out of Mac Jones, the chances would seemingly be countless for Maye.
Nonetheless, some rising pains must be anticipated for Maye as he adjusts to a brand new OC and offensive scheme in his second 12 months within the NFL.
“I believe the quarterback room basically is absolutely, actually good by way of placing the effort and time in presently of the 12 months,” McDaniels said in June. “We both make a great play or we be taught from the end result. Generally as a coach, and no person needs to listen to this, the adverse outcomes can really be your finest academics.
“As a result of you might have a play that didn’t go the appropriate manner, and also you be taught from it. The most important key for us going ahead is after we be taught from a mistake, can we go on the market the subsequent day and never repeat the identical error? I believe [Maye is] doing a very good job of digesting the knowledge, processing the corrections when there’s a correction to be made, and go on the market with an ideal angle and mindset the subsequent day.”
McDaniels had a knack within the post-Brady period for tailoring New England’s offense to no matter QB was underneath heart – be it the run-happy Cam Newton or a short-yardage arm like Jones.
A participant with Maye’s arm and wheels ought to open up loads of potentialities for McDaniels’ complicated scheme and system.
However, persistence will must be preached within the early going as Maye goals to get on the identical web page together with his new coach.
In fact, that sentiment will most likely out the door as quickly as the primary poor 11-on-11 interval is reported out of Foxborough.
4. Can Mike Vrabel rebuild New England’s tradition?
Mike Vrabel didn’t mince phrases when he requested in January about a few of his priorities as New England’s new head coach.
“We’re going to earn the appropriate to be right here daily. We’re going to maneuver entitlement from our soccer crew,” Vrabel said in his introductory press conference.
It didn’t take Vrabel very lengthy to apply what he preached, harping on high free-agent signing Milton Williams to finish out his sprints during conditioning drills just months after inking the largest deal in franchise history.
“He needs me to go quick and empty the tank each rep,” Williams stated. “I like that. I don’t assume I’m greater than the subsequent particular person. I don’t thoughts him calling me out. Calling me out goes to assist the opposite guys. We’ve got no excuses.”
With Vrabel in place, it’s clear that the Patriots are inserting a premium on flushing away a number of the rot that eroded this franchise over the previous few years.
Gone are 5 of New England’s six 2024 captains in David Andrews, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jacoby Brissett, Deatrich Smart Jr., and Joe Cardona.
Solely Jabrill Peppers stays on the roster as a former captain, whereas two different longtime Patriots regulars in Jonathan Jones and Davon Godchaux are additionally enjoying elsewhere.
Vrabel is clearing home, and it’s evident that the brand new head coach is trying to construct up a brand new tradition anchored by a youthful crop of expertise like Maye, Christian Gonzalez, and others.
It gained’t be a seamless course of, however how Vrabel goes about constructing that tradition and tying it into the outcomes on the gridiron can be fascinating to look at this summer season and fall — particularly when contrasted towards final 12 months’s chaotic camp.
“We’re going to be shifting. We’re going to demand effort and end,” Vrabel stated in January. “Folks ask what non-negotiables are. Our effort and our end goes to be the contract that we make with our teammates. That can be my job to verify.”
5. Will New England’s offseason investments on protection repay?
With cash to burn this spring, New England allotted a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars} towards addressing a number of obvious deficiencies throughout the depth chart.
Most of that was siphoned towards the defensive facet of the ball, headlined by the signings of Milton Williams, Carlton Davis, Robert Spillane, Harold Landry, and others.
There’s rather a lot to love a few Patriots secondary anchored by Gonzalez and Davis shifting ahead.
However, New England is anticipating massive issues in its front-seven in 2025, given each the cash dedicated to that phase of the roster and the poor play that was prevalent at these spots the earlier 12 months.
New England completed final season with the fewest sacks within the league (28) whereas additionally permitting 131.4 speeding yards per recreation — twenty second total within the league.
The addition of Williams as a possible game-wrecker up entrance might open issues up for different pass-rushers like Keion White and Landry, whereas bringing in run-stopping linebackers like Spillane and Jack Gibbens might give New England some extra thump and enhance their play towards the run.
Quite a bit is driving on New England’s offensive line and Maye’s personal particular person play in 2025. However New England’s protection has the expertise alone to take a significant step ahead this fall.
6. Which rookies will make an affect?
The Patriots are banking on Will Campbell rapidly realizing his potential as a beginning left deal with in 2025.
However, the Patriots’ 2025 first-round choose is way from the one teen poised for an enormous camp.
On the offensive facet of the ball, second-round choice TreVeyon Henderson might emerge because the No. 2 operating again behind Rhamondre Stevenson, whereas additionally bolstering his worth as an efficient pass-blocking choice for Maye.
With 2024 picks Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker each flaming out final 12 months, New England would additionally welcome some robust play out of the gate from 2025 third-rounder Kyle Williams, a shifty wideout who former All-Pro Steve Smith compared to himself.
Fourth-rounder Craig Woodson may very well be a reputation to look at after a stable displaying throughout mini-camp and OTAs as a fleet-footed security, whereas rookie sixth-round choose Andy Borregales is about to embark on a kicking competitors with veteran John Parker Romo.
Each NFL coaching camp appears to function one shock standout who was a late-offseason pickup or undrafted expertise out of school.
Don’t be shocked if shifty slot receiver Efton Chism III — who broke a number of of Cooper Kupp’s information at Japanese Washington — takes up that mantle this summer.
7. Who’s on the roster bubble?
Vrabel and Co. have already been busy in relation to shedding veteran incumbents off this roster.
However, a number of different noteworthy gamers may be wanting over their shoulder this summer season, particularly on offense.
If Diggs is wholesome and rookies like Chism and Williams seem like the actual deal, might New England lower bait with two 2024 picks in Baker and Polk?
Kendrick Bourne is one other participant to maintain tabs on if the remainder of New England’s wideout corps exceed expectations.
If the numbers recreation will get tight, it would come all the way down to the optics of chopping both a veteran in Bourne or a second-round choose in Polk.
8. Will New England make any extra strikes?
The Patriots spent loads of money this offseason in an effort to improve the roster.
However, simply because coaching camp is about to begin, that doesn’t imply that Eliot Wolf is content material with rolling with this roster as is.
As evidenced by the Matthew Judon commerce final August, the NFL preseason is rife with trades, contract holdouts, and shock cuts that would permit New England to focus on one other affect participant if the chance arises.
For instance? If the Washington Commanders can’t come to phrases on a brand new contract with Terry McLaurin, Wolf and Co. should be on the prowl.
Diggs has the potential to be an affect WR1 in Foxborough this season. Including a participant like McLaurin would take away all doubt that New England’s offense is able to take an enormous step ahead.
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