The Patriots got a win against the Washington Commanders 48-18 in their first preseason game. Yet, Patriot Nation should temper its enthusiasm. Many of Washington's key players, including their best, Jayden Daniels, sat out the tilt.
The game can be used to evaluate the Patriots' own players, though. At least it was against NFL competition, even if it was watered down. A few personnel decisions by Mike Vrabel could be key to how successful a season he'll have.
Vrabel has done a marvelous offseason job reconstructing a terrible roster into a competitive one. His six years as an NFL head coach led to his identifying and securing good players. Yet, Vrabel still has to make roster decisions that could be season-altering if he gets them wrong.
3 decisions Mike Vrabel has to get right for a bright Patriots future
Mike Vrabel will be finalizing his 2025 roster soon. He has to choose the right players and utilize them correctly. Three decisions could inhibit his team's success in 2025 if he doesn't get them right. One is obvious; the other two are more subtle.
Mike Vrabel has to keep and play UDFA WR Efton Chism III
In undrafted free agency, Vrabel paid solid money for two offensive skill players. One was Lan Larison, who's unfortunately on injured reserve for the season. Another was Efton Chism III, the wide receiver from Eastern Washington, who also got a guaranteed deal.
Any doubts that Chism should make the 53-man roster and be on the game day roster, as well, should be dispelled by his first NFL pre-season game, as watered down as the opposition was. Chism demonstrated he's an NFL-quality receiver right now.
Chism caught 120 passes last season and scored 13 touchdowns for Eastern Washington. He picked up right where he left off in his first NFL game against the Commanders. He caught six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown and nearly had another. He's an NFL player.
Efton Chism III has been compared to former Patriots Danny Amendola. It's not a good enough comp. Chism has Julian Edelman-like qualities. If he's not on the Patriots' final 2025 roster and playing every week, regardless of who has to be cut, Vrabel will have made a huge mistake.
Mike Vrabel needs to play Keion White in his best position
Against Washington, Vrabel made the same mistake his two predecessors did in employing Keion White on the edge. This is not to disparage White's efforts there. He's a solid edge, and he'll deliver pressure wherever he plays. It's just not his best position.
White, at 6'5" and 285 pounds, is not a prototypical edge. He was deployed against Washington on the right side, at times as a down end and other times as a stand-up edge. As such, he was pitted against a bigger left tackle. It's not an optimum matchup.
Conversely, played as a defensive tackle in a gap inside, White will likely face a guard or center, and only occasionally a tackle. Few interior NFL linemen can handle him. He's a mismatch for one, and two will have a tough time against him.
White is a pocket-collapsing force similar to his line mates, Christian Barmore and newly signed Milton Williams. With all three on the field at once, no NFL pocket is sustainable. Vrabel should closely peruse White's 2024 film. He'll see that inside, he's a nightmare for NFL offenses. But if he persists in using him on the edge, he'll be making the same mistake Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo did.
Mike Vrabel should move Marcus Jones to offense
Another Patriots player whose full NFL potential is yet to be unlocked is slot cornerback Marcus Jones. To his credit, Vrabel added explosiveness to his offense in two rookies, running back TreVeyon Henderson, who's already shone with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, and receiver Kyle Williams, who'll be heard from soon.
But there's another player already on the roster who's an electric offensive playmaker, Marcus Jones. While a solid corner, he's small for the position, and bigger pass-catchers create mismatches. On offense, however, his small size and speed are assets.
Vrabel is failing to acknowledge Jones' best talents. Like Henderson and Williams, he's a touchdown waiting to happen on any given play. The Patriots have good cover at cornerback to limit any fall-off there. Vrabel has to think outside the box here.
Those are three decisions Mike Vrabel needs to get right for his 2025 Patriots. They could be the difference between a good season and a playoff berth, or much, much more. It's up to him now to get these three decisions right. He'll never look back.