Any NFL team travels as far as its quarterback takes them. It's not rocket science. But as Bill Belichick would say, "it is what it is". And that is NFL reality. An NFL quarterback is like the engine in a car: if it performs, you'll move forward; if not, you'll stall.
The Patriots' new Head Coach, Mike Vrabel, assumed a massive undertaking. He inherited arguably the worst roster in the NFL, and he was probably expected to perform a miracle and immediately transform it into a Tom Brady-like winner. Not so fast!
Vrabel knew he had a whale of a job on his hands to transform a bottom-of-the-NFL roster into a playoff team. Undaunted, he stepped aboard knowing full well he had the most critical component of such a transformation in hand: the quarterback, aka Drake Maye.
Drake Maye continues to impress analysts and fans alike ahead of second NFL season
The Patriots' media, ravenous for a story, any story, had a field day when Drake Maye threw four interceptions in his first summer camp practice. Vrabel brushed that off in an instant. This is a polished professional in command of the Patriots. No media folly will be allowed to interfere with his blueprint. Others have also cut through the baloney and seen the facts.
Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport has listed the "Biggest Winners and Losers from 2025 NFL Training Camps". Patriot Nation is going to love his top winner, Drake Maye.
"Some of the shine of Drake Maye’s training camp came off when the second-year pro threw a pair of interceptions during a scrimmage Friday. But Maye also led three scoring drives in the practice, and the interceptions were his first of camp. Those struggles underscore that no player is going to have a perfect camp—but Maye has drawn consistent praise in camp, both for the accuracy of his throws and the athleticism he has shown with his legs. While speaking to reporters, Maye said that he is trying to combine the two. That when he does decide to scramble, he’s still keeping his eyes downfield and looking for open receivers."
Davenport "gets it". He recognized that Maye, without much support in 2024, exhibited what he called "flashes" as a rookie. It was actually what he should have called talent. Maye's innate ability to succeed drove him to an improbable excellent season. In 2025, the whole equation has changed.
The Patriots under Mike Vrabel are a totally different team
Vrabel knew that the only thing keeping Drake Maye from success was solid management and a good supporting cast. He had neither in 2024. Maye was the team's best quarterback, yet he received no first-team snaps either in the entire pre-season or until the fourth game of the season. Whether he made the error or not, it wrecked the season and cost Head Coach Jerod Mayo his job.
With that in mind, Vrabel set about to remake his roster to not only support Maye on offense but also to create a new, attacking defense, as well. He did a masterful job on both accounts. For Maye, he delivered a lot of assistance.
He added more than half a dozen new offensive linemen, including established free agent veterans like Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury, top rookie draft picks like left tackle Will Campbell, and versatile center/guard Jared Wilson. The O-line will be far better than 2024's porous one.
Vrabel also added four new wide receivers who will significantly improve that unit. And, in the draft, he added a home-run threat to liven up the drab running back room. Vrabel aced the entire offseason and rebuilt his offense and entire team over just a few months.
The biggest beneficiaries of all this will be Drake Maye and Patriot Nation. Maye won't have any sophomore slump, and he'll have a competent accompanying cast around him. As a result, Patriot Nation will witness a renaissance of the team's fortunes as Maye leads the team to the playoffs. And it's only the beginning. There'll be a lot more success to come.