Patriots 2025-26 Offseason Discussion

[Goldstar88]

This feels like the ultimate wait and see type of signing. Vrabel does seem like a very good head coach. Now we have to wait and see who he brings in as assistant coaches, and if he has his own guy to be the next GM. If Elliot Wolf remains as the de-facto GM, then they should have just kept Jerod Mayo as head coach, because the team simply won't improve when Wolf has another bad draft. BTW, what good is all that cap space if good free agents don't want to come here.

Kraft essentially hired a 5 star chef in Vrabel, but still has a McDonald's fry cook ordering the groceries from the parking lot trash.

That narrative is nonsense. If the Pats pay enough, they will come. Problem is, Kraft doesn?t like paying top dollar for players. Just ask Tom Brady.

[johnnygreen]

This feels like the ultimate wait and see type of signing. Vrabel does seem like a very good head coach. Now we have to wait and see who he brings in as assistant coaches, and if he has his own guy to be the next GM. If Elliot Wolf remains as the de-facto GM, then they should have just kept Jerod Mayo as head coach, because the team simply won't improve when Wolf has another bad draft. BTW, what good is all that cap space if good free agents don't want to come here.

Kraft essentially hired a 5 star chef in Vrabel, but still has a McDonald's fry cook ordering the groceries from the parking lot trash.

That narrative is nonsense. If the Pats pay enough, they will come. Problem is, Kraft doesn?t like paying top dollar for players. Just ask Tom Brady.

This team is one of the worst in the entire league. Yes they found a good young QB, but the rest of the roster is so poor, that they are years away from being competitive. If the money is close, good free agents aren't coming here. Kraft would have to pay at least a 20% premium to make it happen, especially in guaranteed money.

BTW, I know Kraft is cheap when it comes to free agency and his coaching staff. However, the problem in free agency now is the Patriots aren't a desirable destination. So it's not really a money issue now.

[Goldstar88]

This feels like the ultimate wait and see type of signing. Vrabel does seem like a very good head coach. Now we have to wait and see who he brings in as assistant coaches, and if he has his own guy to be the next GM. If Elliot Wolf remains as the de-facto GM, then they should have just kept Jerod Mayo as head coach, because the team simply won't improve when Wolf has another bad draft. BTW, what good is all that cap space if good free agents don't want to come here.

Kraft essentially hired a 5 star chef in Vrabel, but still has a McDonald's fry cook ordering the groceries from the parking lot trash.

That narrative is nonsense. If the Pats pay enough, they will come. Problem is, Kraft doesn?t like paying top dollar for players. Just ask Tom Brady.

This team is one of the worst in the entire league. Yes they found a good young QB, but the rest of the roster is so poor, that they are years away from being competitive. If the money is close, good free agents aren't coming here. Kraft would have to pay at least a 20% premium to make it happen, especially in guaranteed money.

BTW, I know Kraft is cheap when it comes to free agency and his coaching staff. However, the problem in free agency now is the Patriots aren't a desirable destination. So it's not really a money issue now.

Exactly. He?s going to have to overpay to get players to come here. If he does, they will. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the money.

[Roy H.]

This feels like the ultimate wait and see type of signing. Vrabel does seem like a very good head coach. Now we have to wait and see who he brings in as assistant coaches, and if he has his own guy to be the next GM. If Elliot Wolf remains as the de-facto GM, then they should have just kept Jerod Mayo as head coach, because the team simply won't improve when Wolf has another bad draft. BTW, what good is all that cap space if good free agents don't want to come here.

Kraft essentially hired a 5 star chef in Vrabel, but still has a McDonald's fry cook ordering the groceries from the parking lot trash.

That narrative is nonsense. If the Pats pay enough, they will come. Problem is, Kraft doesn?t like paying top dollar for players. Just ask Tom Brady.

This team is one of the worst in the entire league. Yes they found a good young QB, but the rest of the roster is so poor, that they are years away from being competitive. If the money is close, good free agents aren't coming here. Kraft would have to pay at least a 20% premium to make it happen, especially in guaranteed money.

BTW, I know Kraft is cheap when it comes to free agency and his coaching staff. However, the problem in free agency now is the Patriots aren't a desirable destination. So it's not really a money issue now.

Exactly. He?s going to have to overpay to get players to come here. If he does, they will. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the money.

Like the Pats, the Bears are another team that has had a ton of cap space in recent years, and the last couple of seasons they've seemingly squandered it.  I think they're believers in sticking to a set number and don't want to go over the valuation they have on a player, and my guess is that that is the Patriots' way right now, as well.

The problem is there's alwas going to be some team that is willing to pay an "A" grade price for a B+ talent.  If teams don't do that, they're not going to get the player.  So, you either "overpay" (which is really the new market price), or you get to patch together an offensive line out of below average starters.

[Vermont Green]

This idea of FAs wanting to come here or not is real, but I look at it a little differently.  There are going to be some elite FAs (divas I call them) that may turn their nose up at the Pats because they are looking for a win now situation or whatever.  For that type of FA, throwing more money at it probably doesn't change anything.  But is that the level of FA we should be chasing right now?

We have the coach now (hopefully) and we have a promising young QB now (key word young).  We need good players all around, we don't need divas right now.  It doesn't make sense for the diva and it doesn't make sense for the Pats to over spend on one position or player.  We should be targeting good players to build the infrastructure, start building something, then when we are closer, that is the time to target a specific diva that may put us over the top.

Second tier FA OL (for example) are still going to be way better than what we had last season.  We can overpay a little for that type of player, improve the team tremendously, and not break the bank.  Still need someone who can evaluate those players, but NE could be a good spot for that type of player.  Same on defense, just get a little better everywhere.

[Goldstar88]

This feels like the ultimate wait and see type of signing. Vrabel does seem like a very good head coach. Now we have to wait and see who he brings in as assistant coaches, and if he has his own guy to be the next GM. If Elliot Wolf remains as the de-facto GM, then they should have just kept Jerod Mayo as head coach, because the team simply won't improve when Wolf has another bad draft. BTW, what good is all that cap space if good free agents don't want to come here.

Kraft essentially hired a 5 star chef in Vrabel, but still has a McDonald's fry cook ordering the groceries from the parking lot trash.

That narrative is nonsense. If the Pats pay enough, they will come. Problem is, Kraft doesn?t like paying top dollar for players. Just ask Tom Brady.

This team is one of the worst in the entire league. Yes they found a good young QB, but the rest of the roster is so poor, that they are years away from being competitive. If the money is close, good free agents aren't coming here. Kraft would have to pay at least a 20% premium to make it happen, especially in guaranteed money.

BTW, I know Kraft is cheap when it comes to free agency and his coaching staff. However, the problem in free agency now is the Patriots aren't a desirable destination. So it's not really a money issue now.

Exactly. He?s going to have to overpay to get players to come here. If he does, they will. At the end of the day, it always comes down to the money.

Like the Pats, the Bears are another team that has had a ton of cap space in recent years, and the last couple of seasons they've seemingly squandered it.  I think they're believers in sticking to a set number and don't want to go over the valuation they have on a player, and my guess is that that is the Patriots' way right now, as well.

The problem is there's alwas going to be some team that is willing to pay an "A" grade price for a B+ talent.  If teams don't do that, they're not going to get the player.  So, you either "overpay" (which is really the new market price), or you get to patch together an offensive line out of below average starters.

Least the Bears actually made some moves like adding Moore and Allen to give Caleb a chance. Pats aren?t making trades to acquire talent, they haven?t been spending in FA and can?t draft for sh!t. Unless that changes drastically this year, I?m expecting another 4 win season.

[Vermont Green]

Top 10 draft order.  I am going to assume that if the Pats do trade, they will not trade out of the top 10.  Who knows, but this seems like a reasonable boundary:

 1   Tennessee
 2   Cleveland
 3   NY Giants
 4   New England
 5   Jacksonville
 6   Las Vegas
 7   NY Jets
 8   Carolina
 9   New Orleans
10   Chicago

Conventional wisdom says that TEN, CLE, and NYG all need QBs.  You would think that at least two of these teams take QBs.  The question is who gets taken in addition to the two QBs.  It seems like we will get a shot at either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.  Maybe someone even trades up to get ahead of us to take one of these two.

I would be pretty happy with either at this point but I am starting to like Carter.

As to trading, I would be fine with a trade down into the 6-10 range.  We could still get a top tackle at that point, and picking up some additional value picks is fine.  Using pick 4 on a tackle seems like a bit of a reach though.

[A Future of Stevens]

I have a Hunch that the Vrabel hiring means we are going to invest the 4th pick in the backbone of our team. I'm thinking either Abdul Carter or offensive lineman.

[Phantom255x]

I have a bunch that the Vrabel hiring means we are going to invest the 4th pick in the backbone of our team. I'm thinking either Abdul Carter or offensive lineman.

Unfortunately I'm now seeing some mock drafts that have Hunter AND Carter going before #4. Many are saying Carter's stock is rising as well.

If I had to rank it, I'd go in priority:

1. Travis Hunter (BPA)
2. Carter (more realistic)
3. Trade down to the 6-9 range for an Offensive Tackle like Banks or Campbell

I know Tet is a WR option at pick #4 but I'm gonna be real I'd prefer they go the FA route for that (like signing Higgins and/or maybe give up a 2nd round pick to acquire someone like AJ Brown or Metcalf via trade).

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I have a bunch that the Vrabel hiring means we are going to invest the 4th pick in the backbone of our team. I'm thinking either Abdul Carter or offensive lineman.

Unfortunately I'm now seeing some mock drafts that have Hunter AND Carter going before #4. Many are saying Carter's stock is rising as well.

If I had to rank it, I'd go in priority:

1. Travis Hunter (BPA)
2. Carter (more realistic)
3. Trade down to the 6-9 range for an Offensive Tackle like Banks or Campbell

I know Tet is a WR option at pick #4 but I'm gonna be real I'd prefer they go the FA route for that (like signing Higgins and/or maybe give up a 2nd round pick to acquire someone like AJ Brown or Metcalf via trade).

Yeah, I'd much rather get a proven WR through FA or trade, because the Pats have been so bad at drafting WRs.

[johnnygreen]

I don't think Higgins goes anywhere. I see him using free agency as leverage in getting a deal with Cincinnati.

As for trading for someone like AJ Brown or Metcalf, I think you will have to give up at minimum a first round pick. That's not happening with the 4th pick, and next year is almost a lock to be another top 8 pick. No way should the Patriots give up that much draft compensation for a WR, when they are so far away from being competitive.

[Vermont Green]

I have a bunch that the Vrabel hiring means we are going to invest the 4th pick in the backbone of our team. I'm thinking either Abdul Carter or offensive lineman.

Unfortunately I'm now seeing some mock drafts that have Hunter AND Carter going before #4. Many are saying Carter's stock is rising as well.

If I had to rank it, I'd go in priority:

1. Travis Hunter (BPA)
2. Carter (more realistic)
3. Trade down to the 6-9 range for an Offensive Tackle like Banks or Campbell

I know Tet is a WR option at pick #4 but I'm gonna be real I'd prefer they go the FA route for that (like signing Higgins and/or maybe give up a 2nd round pick to acquire someone like AJ Brown or Metcalf via trade).

That would be OK.  Then we have one of the QBs to trade to LV or NYJ, take a stud tackle at 6 or 7 and pick up additional picks to address other needs.  It would end up being more or less the same position we would have been in had we stayed at the first overall pick.

These top 3 picks or so are a blessing and a curse.  If you can get a "franchise" QB, then great, but if you are picking a CB or a LB or even a WR, you don't see these picks returning the same kind of value.  It may well be the BPA, and a smart pick, but those individual players do not tend to impact the team like a QB.

Are Hunter or Carter going to impact the Patriots more than if they get the best LT in the draft at say 6 and a second round DB or LB at 37?  Maybe, but historically, more picks are better, fewer eggs in one basket.

[johnnygreen]

I feel like free agency in the NFL is a little different from other sports. The best players don't really hit free agency too often. And with the salary cap increasing, it only helps teams retain their best players. And if some teams can't come to an agreement with their own free agent, the team can simply use the franchise tag.

In other words, I'm not sure how much free agency will help improve the Patriots if the only players available are the ones the previous team no longer wanted. This is another reason why not drafting well for so long has finally caught up with this team. Signing Vrabel was a great first step, but retaining Wolf is sn absolute killer.

[Vermont Green]

I feel like free agency in the NFL is a little different from other sports. The best players don't really hit free agency too often. And with the salary cap increasing, it only helps teams retain their best players. And if some teams can't come to an agreement with their own free agent, the team can simply use the franchise tag.

In other words, I'm not sure how much free agency will help improve the Patriots if the only players available are the ones the previous team no longer wanted. This is another reason why not drafting well for so long has finally caught up with this team. Signing Vrabel was a great first step, but retaining Wolf is an absolute killer.

I think this is true to an extent.  The franchise tag is a way to prevent the very best players from leaving, the top 1% or 2%, the Tier 1 players, one or two players per team.  I doubt they franchise Higgins for example.  But you can get good players that are tier 2 or tier 3 level in FA.  This should be the target range for the Patriots.  Just get good to very good players to get better at multiple positions.  Pay them a little more, offer them a little bigger role, I think New England can be sold to this level of player.

[Donoghus]

I have a Hunch that the Vrabel hiring means we are going to invest the 4th pick in the backbone of our team. I'm thinking either Abdul Carter or offensive lineman.

If he's gonna go OL route, at least trade down a few slots and pick up some asset while doing it.  No need to take an OL at 4.