In the next few days, we’ll come away with a clearer picture of where, exactly, the Patriots‘ brain trust feels the organization is at this point. The team is 6-2, and the good times are rolling behind a five-game winning streak that has thrust Drake Maye into the NFL’s MVP conversation, and not just as a novelty–on the betting markets, he is the No. 2 choice for the award.
While chests can be puffed at that reality, the other reality is that the Patriots have played a marshmallow-soft string of opponents, who have a combined record of 21-41 this season. They’ve been fortunate to avoid injuries and their depth at just about every spot on the roster is not there, the depth chart cobbled together by free-agent signings, but lacking the depth that a string of good drafts brings.
Do the Patriots buy into themselves as a contender? Or do they see themselves still in Phase 1 of a rebuild? Tuesday’s trade deadline will likely give us some indication. But we have learned that, without a doubt, coach Mike Vrabel had little need or respect for the players left behind by his old coach, Bill Belichick.
Mike Vrabel: ‘They Won 8 Games’
Of course, Belichick departed ahead of the 2024 season, and while he has been burning his legacy to the ground on Instagram and in Chapel Hill, Vrabel has systematically rooted out the players who had been brought in by Belichick. This week, the Pats dumped Keion White and Kyle Dugger–two Belichick second-rounders–in trades that brought them nothing more than sixth-round picks, at best.
Vrabel was asked on Friday whether he feels a “burden” of trying to erase the Belichick tenure. Vrabel was, as is his wont, blunt and took a shot at the bare cupboards Belichick left behind.
“I don’t know what the burden is,” Vrabel said. “They won eight games in two years. So, none of that matters. Whether it was a Super Bowl or a not very good year. It doesn’t matter. So, in this league, if you take a nap, you’re going to get beat, and that’s just how it is. So, we’re not trying to take a nap.”
Patriots Have Not Had Success in ‘A Lot of Years’
Ouch. Vrabel was also asked about the process of weeding out players from the old regime to put his own stamp on the organization. It was mentioned that the “Do your job” mantra has not been heard very much.
“Let’s first just say it’s been a lot of years since that has happened. So, I don’t know how many people really around here know,” Vrabel said. “All we’re trying to do is just try to win games, get good guys, enjoy coming to work, coach the [expletive] out of them, watch them have success and be excited for them. None of that goes in and, ‘Well, they did it this way; we’re going to do it the opposite.’”
Patriots Not Giving Cash to ‘Clunkers’
But Vrabel was clear that the players he let go this year are, as he said, “clunkers.”
“There’s a lot of things that are good that you take from people, and there’s some things that you come up with on your own that’s good, and then there’s some ones that are clunkers. When they’re clunkers, you own it, change it and fix it,” Vrabel said. “So, we’ll make some modifications to the player announcements, and we’ll get the names in order this time, and we’ll go from there.”
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