NFL exec gave sobering view on expectations for 2025 Patriots

After posting 4 wins in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024, optimism is plentiful in Foxborough this fall for the Patriots.

Past the anticipated strides made by Drake Maye in his second yr, the hiring of Mike Vrabel and an skilled teaching workers has sparked hope that New England’s revamped roster is due for a rebound. 

However, even after New England shelled out loads of cash this fall so as to add gamers like Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, Robert Spillane, and Harold Landry to the depth chart, any hopes of the Patriots punching their ticket to the postseason this winter may be ill-advised — or on the very least, extraordinarily optimistic.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss acknowledged in his latest Sunday notebook that New England nonetheless has loads of work to do if it desires to re-establish itself as a real contender. At the very least, such is the sentiment shared by others throughout the NFL. 

“One NFL entrance workplace supply who has watched the Patriots this preseason described his view of them this fashion: Enhancing, taking part in laborious, however skinny in a number of spots past their beginning lineup due to shaky drafts in recent times which have contributed to a roster that can require multiple yr to replenish,” Reiss wrote.

Even with the quantity of expertise each in place and added to New England’s roster over the previous couple of months, the Patriots can also’t afford to lose a number of key cogs to harm — given the restricted depth in place on the depth chart.

Regardless of the promise showcased by Maye as a rookie, the second-year QB could possibly be in bother if a confirmed wideout like Diggs is hampered by harm. 

As of proper now, Vrabel may be calling on 2025 seven-round choose Marcus Bryant to fit into the beginning lineup if New England’s beginning tackles in rookie Will Campbell and 34-year-old Morgan Moses battle or are sidelined. 

Years of poor drafting in New England has left Vrabel and his workers with little marin for error, as noted by ESPN’s Neil Paine. 

In an article the place Paine ranked all seven first-year NFL head coaches so as of who’s in one of the best place to win with their new group, Vrabel ranked sixth total — with solely New Orleans’ Kellen Moore ranked decrease.

“Everybody agreed that Vrabel’s reunion with the Patriots made far an excessive amount of sense to not occur. With it, there might be an infusion of that acquainted Belichickian ethos of no-nonsense grit, plus the expertise of a coach who went 54-45 with three playoff appearances in 5 years with the Tennessee Titans,” Paine wrote. “Nonetheless, anticipating a real revival of the Pats’ dynasty is a bit untimely. 

“Maye’s passing effectivity stays a piece in progress, although his mobility propped up his QBR. The staff was considered one of simply seven with an SRS ranking of -1.9 or worse on each side of the ball, which was an indication of how a lot renovation was wanted. Nonetheless, an offseason spending spree has locked them right into a bunch of huge bets straight away — a danger once we take into account how unpredictable the outcomes of offseason strikes will be. All of this explains why the Patriots rank decrease than their match with Vrabel would appear to point.”

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author masking the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Crimson Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.