One of the more questionable moves made by Robert Kraft this offseason was hiring a new head coach and retaining nearly all of the front office staff for the 2025 season. He seemed to leave it up to Mike Vrabel to ultimately make the official decision, but he never implied that he was necessarily okay with moving on from someone like Eliot Wolf anytime soon.
That became one of the most watched stories once the new head coach was hiring his new staff, especially since he added some of his closest allies to the front office from his days with the Titans.
There was some speculation about how the power dynamic would be with some Vrabel guys in the building now, but all things have appeared to run smoothly, with Wolf continuing to take the lead as the presumed general manager of the Patriots this offseason.
It has been assumed that he remains the go-to guy for almost all roster decisions, with Vrabel being heavily involved in the process as well. However, the latest moves by the team, mainly the decision to trade Joe Milton III earlier this week, have seemed to pinpoint who is really calling the shots behind the scenes, at least according to one reporter.
Greg Bedard believes Mike Vrabel is far more involved in the Patriots' decision-making process than initially let on
Because Vrabel has previously served as a head coach and made decisions in that role, the belief was that he would continue doing so in New England, perhaps in a more collaborative process with Wolf, rather than solely bearing the responsibility himself.
From what we've heard from both Vrabel and Wolf on separate occasions, there hasn't been much clarity on who might be higher on the totem pole regarding roster moves. However, Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard believes the Milton trade has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it's Vrabel's team.
"This is just more evidence that Mike Vrabel is in charge, and he's doing everything ... From talking to people -- and I've gotten divergent opinions on this -- the bottom line is, the Vrabel regime was not gonna have Joe Milton in the building when the team arrives on Monday. They were gonna clear the decks of Joe Milton."
While Bedard made sure to state that it's what he's hearing from his sources, it seems more legitimate considering all the moves the Patriots have made this offseason, which seem more like decisions Vrabel would have made than Wolf, at least based on recent history.
Many of the players signed are connected to Vrabel or someone else on the staff, which was not a consideration during last year's offseason. The Patriots have also spent far more money than they did a year ago, which seems to contradict what Wolf said during that time regarding his ideal approach to building a roster.
The Milton trade appears to be Vrabel's decision as well, since Wolf was one of the staffers who helped decide he was the right pick in last year's draft, despite having already added Maye to the roster. Vrabel knew the importance of having a veteran quarterback behind Maye, and that meant Milton made no sense, so it was time to send him elsewhere.
Whatever the true dynamic behind the scenes is will likely be confirmed during the draft, based on who they select and their explanations throughout the weekend. However, Bedard's belief that Vrabel is calling the shots more seems far more believable after Wolf's rough offseason in 2024, as he stepped in for an inexperienced staff. That is far from the case this year, allowing Vrabel to run the team as he sees fit moving forward.