The cupboard was bare, to an extent, and the expectations were low when Mike Vrabel accepted the Patriots' head coaching job. This was a team that had hoards of holes on its roster and was coming off back-to-back 4-13 seasons.
While the team showed some promise in Drake Maye's rookie season, this was a team that didn't know how to win, which showed in the Patriots' inability to win close games.
Many fans and media members alike are expecting a turnaround from the Patriots in Vrabel's head coaching debut in Foxborough. Still, if things don't come together, another last-place finish is not out of the question.
Worst case scenario for Patriots represents a residence in the AFC East basement with no improvements
It doesn't take much to improve from a 4-13 season, and the reconstruction of New England's roster represents a plugging of the many leaks the 2024 team had. But the question is, did the Patriots do enough to be able to contend?
New England's rookie class is a strong one and has a chance to be one of the best the league produces this season. However, the potential of two rookies starting on the left side of the offensive line is a little bit scary for Drake Maye.
That's a unit that has to be better for New England to inch up the AFC's echelon, and it has many new faces on it. Maye is also working with a lot of new running backs and receivers, and if he doesn't take care of the football, it could be a long season and raise questions about his future.
The Patriots' schedule has also been billed as one of the league's easiest. While Vrabel won't let his team take any opponent for granted - remember Bill Belichick dapping up 1-14 teams like they were the '85 Bears? - A September and October letdown could set the tone for another disappointing season.
The first half of the schedule is easily the most favorable for the Patriots, and a bad September and October will likely generate more negativity within the talk shows and the fans. Another last-place finish is the worst-case scenario, especially given the flaws that the Jets and the Dolphins have.
Winning five or six games represents the lowest these Patriots could sink. This isn't a 4-13 football team by any means, but a five or six-win season would be a catastrophic failure given the money the front office spent.