The preseason is over and in just two weeks, the New England Patriots will play a real football game. But there is a lot of work to do before Mike Vrabel's squad kicks off their 2025 season against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots finished their preseason slate with a rough 42-10 loss to the New York Giants. Now Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, and Ryan Cowden will get to work figuring out a Week 1 roster, which will likely include players who aren't even in New England at the moment.

"We're going to continue to try to strengthen the roster any way we can," Vrabel said after Thursday's preseason finale. "Try to trade for players, try to claim some players next week. We are always going to try to strengthen the roster, and that's what we'll try to do over the course of the next 10 days."

Here's what's on New England's to-do list leading up the regular-season opener on Sept. 7.

Patriots roster decisions

The biggest task at hand is getting the active roster down to 53 players. New England and the rest of the teams in the NFL have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26 to do so.

Cuts can happen at anytime ahead of that deadline, and a handful of cuts will likely be announced in the coming days. But all that really matters is the Patriots whittle the roster down to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon. And the Patriots may even go under 53 players, given the front office wiggle room to add free agents cast aside by other teams.

But before they can even think about adding, the Patriots will have to do some subtracting. Some tough decisions are ahead of Vrabel and company. There are likely some players they'd like to move on from, but the teams lack of depth might not allow it.

Will Kyle Dugger remain a Patriot? Will the team find a trade partner for him, or will the veteran safety simply be cut loose? The same goes for linebacker Anfernee Jennings, though unlike Dugger, Jennings didn't play Thursday night.

The other big roster decision is in Drake Maye's arsenal of receivers. Ja'Lynn Polk's season-ending shoulder injury will help with the numbers crunch, with Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and rookies Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III considered locks at the moment. 

Did Javon Baker do enough this preseason -- on offense and special teams -- to make the cut? Do the Patriots even want to bring seven receivers into the regular season?

Vrabel also have to pick a winner in his kicker battle and go with either rookie Andy Borregales or veteran Paker Romo. He's got decisions to make all over the roster. 

Build a practice squad

After the Patriots and every other team locks in a 53-man roster for Week 1, it will be time to put together a 17-man practice squad. That process will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at noon, after the claim window for players who were waived on cut-down expires. 

Figure out a starting offensive line

Drake Maye's development is key this season. For the QB to develop, he's going to need time to operate, and he's going to have to stay upright (and healthy). Unfortunately we have a lot of questions about the offensive line in New England.

For starters, who are the starters? All signs are pointing toward a line made of rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson on the left side, Garret Bradbury at center, and Michael Onwenu and Morgan Moses on the right.

But the Patriots have been playing musical chairs with the line all summer, and Vrabel could continue that game over the next two weeks. We will eventually get a starting offensive line, but it might not be until Week 1 arrives. 

The week before Week 1

After making the trek home from New Jersey after Thursday night's game, Vrabel will chat with reporters again at noon Friday at Gillette Stadium. Players will have Friday and Saturday off, but will return to the practice field behind Gillette Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Players will practice again on Monday before getting a day off Tuesday, which is cut-down day. The Patriots haven't announced their practice schedule past next Tuesday.

Mike Vrabel's rat hunt

Vrabel was asked about Thursday's report on Polk, and he didn't seem too thrilled about the news being out there.

"I'd like to find out where some of these come from," Vrabel said of reports regarding New England players. "You know, some of these rats around here. So, we'll figure that out."

Hopefully Vrabel doesn't channel his inner Frank Costello from The Departed as he searches for where these news leaks are coming from. He's got enough on his plate to worry about over the next two weeks.