Patriots Best Offseason Addition Wasn't A Player

The New England Patriots have the potential to be one of the NFL's biggest bounce-back teams in 2025. Several new additions were the highlight for New England in an offense where they put their money where their mouth was and made changes.

The Patriots had by far the most cap space of any team in the NFL this offseason, and they spent it. Defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, and wide receiver Stefon Diggs highlighted a free agent class that brought in a lot of proven talent on both sides of the ball for the Patriots.

However, if a team doesn't have the right head coach, it's hard for any of that talent to truly matter in the grand scheme of things: enter Mike Vrabel. The three-time Super Bowl champion linebacker returns to New England after a year on the Cleveland Browns staff, following being surprisingly let go by the Tennessee Titans after the 2023 season.

The addition of Vrabel was one of the most talked-about of the offseason, and could help the Patriots turn around the ship. Because of this, Dalton Wasserman of PFF named the hiring of Vrabel the best move of the offseason for New England.

"New head coach Mike Vrabel gives New England a much-needed veteran leader," Wasserman wrote. "He understands how to build a complete football team and is in the early stages of doing so in 2025. The most impressive part of the Patriots’ offseason is the talent they acquired on defense, which speaks to Vrabel’s vision for this team."

"New England used the draft to acquire young playmakers and protectors, surrounding Drake Maye with a proper supporting cast. It may take some time, but Vrabel is building a well-rounded team in New England," he continued.

Vrabel won the Coach of the Year award in 2021, which, coincidentally, is the last time the Patriots made the playoffs. In a division with winnable games against the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, and the ability to give Buffalo a tough outing, the Patriots could surprise many and be a playoff team in 2025, and that has a lot to do with Vrabel being under the headset.