The 2025 Patriots have undergone a drastic remodeling this offseason under new top man, Mike Vrabel. He's brought in a lot of new players, most of whom will be big improvements over their 2024 counterparts.
Vrabel's first offseason effort in Foxborough has been one for the books. He has arguably had as good an off-season as seen in these parts in eons. There may never have been a better one, certainly not in recent memory, except for the 2000 one, when a certain Tom Brady arrived as a sixth-round pick. Compared to the fiasco of 2024 (except drafting Drake Maye), it's been a towering success.
The new Head Coach has done all the right things, including conducting a monster draft. Starting with left tackle Will Campbell and going through almost the entire slate, it was deftly conducted. One rookie who's already opening eyes has not even been on the field much yet at all. It's a third-round pick, center/guard, Jared Wilson. But it hasn't deterred him from getting attention now in camp.
Jared Wilson has already caught his Head Coach's eye
Rookies with self-confidence should be ready to hit the ground running and vie for a starting job if they have the necessary grit. It's not outwardly talking the talk; it's all about walking the walk when the real football begins, as it has now.
Mark Daniels of Masslive cites a very positive sign at Patriots' summer camp concerning the team's third-round pick, Jared Wilson, who has already impressed Mike Vrabel.
"'I think that he’s a quick learner. He’s been able to learn two positions inside, as far as center and guard,” Vrabel said. “I would say he was one of those players that maybe wasn’t out there as much on the field in the spring, but really was able to grasp it mentally and allow that to carry over when he had an opportunity to be on the field. So, he was able to show, for a young player, some of those things to be ready when he got his opportunity to be on the field.'”
Most NFL players have solid physical skills, or they wouldn't even be in a camp. Yet, Vrabel's comments signal that Wilson has solid insights into the two positions he's been tasked to master. As a center, he'll be calling the blocking for his linemates, just as he did at Georgia last season. So, mental acuity is critical.
Additionally, since he is learning two positions simultaneously, Vrabel's compliment should certainly be raising eyebrows. The two positions that Wilson could take as a starting position were among the weakest on the 2024 roster: center and guard. They need to be greatly improved, or Vrabel's first season will be at risk.
Jared Wilson's progress is just what the Patriots' doctor ordered
Hearing Vrabel gush about Wilson is undoubtedly a welcome take. Vrabel brought in two veterans in free agency to try to shore up the center and the left guard positions. With David Andrews being released, the center position was that much more at risk. Vrabel signed veteran center Garrett Bradbury, most likely as a stopgap solution for a year or two. Wilson may compete with him right now.
Additionally, the coach signed veteran Wes Schweitzer to play left guard, but he has since retired, leaving a gaping hole at that position. Having played both center and guard for the Bulldogs, Wilson's addition was an astute draft move by Vrabel to cover his bases on both positions.
If someone emerges at left guard, Wilson can either overtake Bradbury, who suffered an injury at practice on Tuesday, to start at center or back up both spots. If none of the incumbents can play the position, Wilson may very well tackle the left guard spot and start alongside Bradbury. Either way, he's a great addition to an offensive line in transition from truly awful to decent in one offseason.
A healthy Jared Wilson will be a key factor for the Patriots in 2025 because of his versatility, his IQ, his willingness to learn from those who've been there, and his football talent. Wilson was a great draft pick by Mike Vrabel. Bet that he'll be starting at one of the positions noted sometime this season and for years to come. It's why Vrabel is one of the best in the business, both on and off the field.