The New England Patriots are in full offseason mode after losing a heartbreaking Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks. In Phase II of his rebuild, master builder Mike Vrabel has free agency, possible trades, and, of course, the draft to restock the positions he needs.
An age-old argument is whether you trade draft picks for established NFL players or keep the picks and bring in your own. And Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer has weighed in emphatically on the topic in favor of the picks.
Mike Vrabel has 11 draft picks on hand at the moment. Speculation has been rife about trading for players like a super pass-rusher, the Raiders' 28-year-old star edge, Maxx Crosby. But any trade for an established star in his prime is going to be very costly in high draft picks.
That's the conundrum that Vrabel and his back-room staff have to deliberate. Yet, one mitigating factor in favor of trading even a high-round pick is that, unlike the past two seasons, the Patriots' draft position this year and likely in the near future with Drake Maye on hand will be lower than the lofty picks they held in 2024 and 2025.
SI's Albert Breer says the Patriots should stand pat and use their picks
The opposing viewpoint is that the Patriots should scout well and use their draft picks to add quality players. Of course, nothing is preventing Vrabel from executing a strategy that combines both trading picks and using his other picks, as well. He can also trade players for additional picks or as part of a deal for better players.
Appearing on NBC Sports Boston's "First Edition," Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated opined that the preferred strategy for Vrabel is to use his picks rather than trade them for players.
"I still think the roster is a little ways away and you're gonna need these picks...I think the way you get better is you get a lot of hacks at it in the draft, because no one hits a thousand percent in the draft...I think the Patriots need a lot...Here's the thing: Stefon Diggs isn't forever. Robert Spillane isn't forever. Hunter Henry is not forever.
They have a lot of age on their roster and we're looking at some of these things and again, they're patching it together. It was the absolute right thing to do to handle it the way they did, but if you're being responsible about that, you're realizing, 'Stefon Diggs is not gonna be our No. 1 receiver two years from now.'"
Breer raises some interesting points, and his perspective is valuable. Yet, is this particular strategy right for Vrabel in 2026? It's a good question that will be a part of how well Vrabel does in his second offseason in command of the Patriots.
MIke Vrabel will do what's best for the team
Football fans can argue which strategy or combination of strategies makes the most sense. The answer is, all of them. It's Mike Vrabel's job to determine what makes sense when, where, and how. Fortunately, as he indubitably proved last season, Vrabel is a master of making the right decisions at the right time.
The Head Coach will evaluate the opportunities and determine which moves will maximize the Patriots' chances in 2026. If Vrabel feels that shipping out a first-round pick and more, or even two first-rounders, to secure a player, say, of Crosby's ability in a massive position of need like the edge, he may feel the investment is worth it and make the trade.
Picking as low as he will, will help ease the pain. Additionally, adding a player of Croby's ilk to an edge that lacked sack production is a singular improvement.
Along with other additions (e.g., to the offensive line), it may very well help swing the balance between beating a team like the Seahawks, which notched six sacks against his team's one in the Super Bowl, or not.
Mike Vrabel will weigh the decision to trade or keep draft picks based on a cost-benefit analysis of the picks' value and, maybe, that of any players involved. Of one thing, Patriot Nation can be certain: Vrabel is a pro's pro. Count on him to make the right decisions most of the time. It's that which separates the winners from the losers in the NFL. Vrabel is clearly a winner.