All 32 NFL teams will undoubtedly have questions heading into training camp. That's just the nature of the beast in the league, as nobody is perfect. The Patriots are certainly far from that.
Despite all the work done this offseason to restructure the roster, from the coaching staff to the on-field personnel, Mike Vrabel and the Patriots face numerous questions as they open training camp.
Fortunately, the Patriots have about a month and a half to answer them before the games count for real in September. Training camp is a process, and Vrabel is aware of that. A team's flaws don't get solved after one preseason game or one week of practice.
With many new faces on the roster, the Patriots need time to mesh between now and the start of the regular season. With one of the league's easiest schedules, especially in the first half of the season, New England can ill afford a slow start in a loaded AFC.
Three biggest questions the Patriots must answer during training camp
1. Can Josh McDaniels put his stamp on the offense - again?
McDaniels' first two go-arounds with the Patriots produced multiple Super Bowl championships and high-octane offenses. It's no accident that Mac Jones' best season in New England was his only season under McDaniels' tutelage.
Now, McDaniels is tasked with mentoring another young quarterback, Drake Maye, who is undoubtedly more talented than Jones. Thanks to the combination of more playmakers around him and McDaniels' presence, a second-year surge feels inevitable for Maye.
The question is, how will McDaniels tailor his offense around the personnel the Patriots have, and can Maye and his teammates get his complicated scheme down pat during the preseason?
2. Can the defense be the shutdown unit it's billed up to be?
Most of the Patriots' free-agency money was spent on defense, and New England has a defensive-minded head coach in Vrabel. That unit is expected to be the team's strength in 2025.
The defense needs to stay healthy and avoid letdowns. It'll be up to this unit to set the offense up for success, and keep opponents out of the end zone. The Patriots aren't yet built to win 45-42, end zone to end zone, track meet-type games.
To me, the red zone will be the key area for this unit. It's easier to win games when you're keeping opponents out of the end zone, which leads us to our next point.
3. Can the offense put up enough points?
The AFC is loaded with dynamic offenses capable of putting up video game numbers. Three of those teams, Buffalo (twice), Baltimore, and Cincinnati, are on the Patriots' schedule.
If you're going to beat the likes of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, field goals and punts are not going to cut it. The organization did a lot to help out Maye heading into his second season, and he needs to take advantage of that.
Part of that is finishing drives. The Patriots have floundered in the red zone the last few years. You can move the ball well in between the 20's all you want, but what truly matters is what you do inside the red area. New England is hopeful that players like Stefon Diggs, TreVeyon Henderson, and Kyle Williams can be game-breaking playmakers, but the likes of Hunter Henry and DeMario Douglas need to make plays in the red zone.
Look for the red area to be a big focus for McDaniels and Vrabel during camp.
If the Patriots can answer these three questions between now and the end of August, they'll be in good shape come September.