Over the last two offseasons, the Patriots have been fortunate to have solid cap space to spend and plenty of draft picks to utilize as they attempted to upgrade their roster to the next level.
They achieved a lot last season, posting their first winning season in four years and their first Super Bowl appearance since 2019, and they made notable efforts over the past few months to build on what they've already started.
But amid it all, there have been concerns that they may not have done enough to ensure sufficient depth at key positions, and those concerns have proven valid during the last two preseason games, particularly against the Eagles.
Not only did they lose a few of their best backups to injuries, but some of the players currently in prominent backup roles also struggled against their opponents' second-team players, which is far from ideal at this stage in the offseason.
Making matters worse is hearing that same sentiment from Mike Vrabel, who didn't mince words when asked about his plans for the final preseason game on Thursday.
Mike Vrabel finally admits the quiet part out loud about the Patriots' lack of solid roster depth
While answering questions from reporters immediately after the game, ESPN's Mike Reiss asked the Patriots head coach whether we would see starters against the Browns in the preseason finale.
Instead of giving a direct response, Vrabel candidly said he didn't feel they had a "very deep team" and, because of that, hinted they might keep their starters off the field to avoid potential injuries.
"I don't think we have a very deep team, Mike (Reiss). So I think we have to make sure that we're preparing our football team and that we're doing everything that we can to keep our best players available."
This was the first time he has said anything remotely close to what analysts and fans have been saying in recent weeks about weak depth, and while it's good to hear they're aware of it too, it doesn't lend much optimism for the season ahead.
It's particularly concerning given how deep into the offseason we are and the limited players available for the Patriots to sign, especially at the positions that need the most help.
It plagued them down the stretch last season, and their postseason struggles were the prime example. They can't afford to have that happen again, as they're about to face a brutal schedule, so they'll have to figure out a way to make things easier moving forward.
How they can accomplish that is hard to say, but it's clear they're not exactly comfortable with their current roster depth, and the only way to improve it is to add more players and evaluate who is already on the team.
There's a lot of decision-making ahead of roster cuts, and these decisions could prove more telling than what's to come.
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