What's next for the Patriots after hiring Mike Vrabel as the team's head coach?
BOSTON – The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as the team's next head coach, filling a massive void for the organization. But the franchise's work is far from done this offseason.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft got his man in Vrabel, who is a knowledgeable, experienced, and hands-on coach. He will bring stability and accountability to the Patriots on the sideline.
But he won't be doing this difficult job on his own, and has some important roles to fill up and down his staff.
Chances are neither offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt or defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington -- currently in limbo after Jerod Mayo was dismissed a week ago -- will be asked back in New England. That will leave two big holes for Vrabel to fill on his coaching staff, in addition to all the other assistant and positional roles he'll likely want to fill with his people.
With years of experience coaching at the NFL level, plus connections in the college ranks, Vrabel shouldn't have too much difficultly building out his staff in New England.
The Patriots also need to figure out the front office, with Eliot Wolf remaining in charge at the moment. But that too will likely change now that Vrabel is in place, as the head coach will probably want to work with someone who shares his vision for the franchise moving forward.
The Patriots filled their biggest need in hiring Vrabel, but the work is really just beginning for New England.
Hire an offensive coordinator
With Drake Maye the future of the franchise, it's imperative that the Patriots hire the right offensive coordinator this winter. They need to hire someone that will continue Maye's evolution and put him in the best position to unlock his full potential going forward. The Patriots cannot afford to waste a season of Maye's development.
There's a slight chance that Vrabel asks Van Pelt to return, which would give Maye some continuity as he heads into Year 2 of his NFL career. But Vrabel will likely go outside the organization and bring in someone he wants to work with.
He may not have to go too far outside the organization, with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels a possibility to take over that role for a third time in his coaching career. McDaniels hasn't succeeded in his head-coaching ventures, but there is no denying that he is a great offensive coordinator after years of working with Tom Brady.
McDaniels worked wonders with Mac Jones during his rookie season in 2021, and the Patriots ranked sixth in the NFL at 27.6 points per game that year. The team has fallen off offensively since McDaniels' departure for the Raiders in 2022, and were tied for last in the NFL at 13.9 points per game in 2023 and ranked 30th at 17.0 points per game in 2024.
If it's not McDaniels, Vrabel and the Patriots could potentially turn to Byron Leftwich or Pep Hamilton, both of whom interviewed for the head-coaching job ahead of Vrabel's interview of Thursday. Both have been out of the NFL since 2022, but possess good offensive minds that could help New England.
Vrabel could also look to Tommy Rees, who was the pass game specialist and tight ends coach in Cleveland last season when Vrabel was a consultant for the Browns. They could even try a run at longtime Rams offensive coach Nick Caley, who turned down New England last offseason, or Josh McCown, who is due for a promotion somewhere after a successful season as the QB coach for the Minnesota Vikings. McCown also worked with Maye when the quarterback was in high school, breaking down film and giving feedback during his sophomore season before attending games and practices during Maye's junior year.
If the Patriots want someone who has NFL experience as an offensive coordinator (one that isn't named Josh McDaniels), they could turn to a former OC like Ken Dorsey, who held that role in Buffalo from 2022-23 and then one season in Cleveland before he was fired by the Browns a few weeks ago.
Hire a defensive coordinator
With an incredible résumé as an NFL linebacker, Vrabel will bring plenty of defensive knowledge to the table. But he'll have to fill out his defensive coordinator role, with Covington likely done in New England after the Patriots' defense took a massive step back in his lone season on the job.
Vrabel probably has a big rolodex from his time with the Houston Texans, the Tennessee Titans, and the Browns – not to mention his alma mater, Ohio State – and could already have someone in mind. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who had four solid season as DC in San Francisco, is one of the hottest names on the open market and would be an extremely intriguing hire to get the New England defense back on track.
Fill out the rest of Mike Vrabel's staff
The Patriots made some big strides on special teams under coordinator Jeremy Springer in 2024, and Vrabel will have to decide if he comes back or not. He'll also have to make decisions with the teams positional coaches, so a lot of moves could come fast and furious out of Foxboro.
After an extremely lackluster season by the team's wide receiving corps, chances are wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes will be dismissed. That could potentially open up a spot for former Patriots receiver Wes Welker, who was just let go by the Miami Dolphins after three seasons as the team's wide receivers coach.
Sort out the front office
This is at the bottom of the list, but this is the most important thing for the Patriots to figure out at the moment. Vrabel is going to have a big hand in personnel moves, so the Patriots need to find someone that shares a similar vision of the new head coach. They both have to be on the same page when the Patriots go shopping for the groceries.
Kraft said last Monday that Wolf would remain as the team's executive VP of player personnel, but Vrabel probably has the power to go hire someone to fill the general manager's role above Wolf. It needs to be someone he's comfortable working with, and someone who can identify talent and bring it to New England.
The way the team is construction right now, the Patriots need a massive influx at talent at just about every position but quarterback. Vrabel and whoever the organization brings in to build the team going forward have a tough job ahead.
A logical candidate is Ryan Cowden, who is currently an advisor to the general manager with the New York Giants. Cowden worked with Vrabel in Tennessee from 2018-23, with Cowden was the Titans vice president of player personnel (2018-22) and interim general manager (2022). He has been working in the NFL since 2000.
Cowden is reportedly set to join New England in some capacity, just not as the organization's general manager, according to NFL Insider Charles Robinson.
Kansas City Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi – an Everett native – is another name that has been connected to the Patriots, while Detroit assistant GM Ray Agnew is a top candidate around the league given the success of the Lions over the last three years.
As for Wolf, he's lucky to remain employed after such a lackluster 2024 offseason. Other hitting on Maye, who fell into his lap with the third overall pick, Wolf's offseason was full of misses at both the NFL Draft and in free agency. He may remain with the organization, but could find himself sent to fulfill other duties – if any at all. (Think Milton from Office Space being sent to the basement.)
However it shakes out, the Patriots are set to reshape their organizational hierarchy this offseason.
