Once the 2025 NFL Draft began, it was quickly apparent that the Patriots' plan was to dramatically improve the roster. Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf utilized the early picks to surround Drake Maye with the best talent possible, putting him in a better position during his second season.
Despite his unfavorable circumstances, he already demonstrated impressive traits as a rookie, so giving him an improved caliber of talent skyrockets his potential.
Beyond what the players can do for the team on the field, though, the Patriots were also clear about bringing top-character players to the roster. Although there weren't many reported issues within the locker room during the 2024 season, there were still too many instances of players speaking out to the media in a way that the Patriots historically have frowned upon.
Because instilling a new culture in Foxboro is important for Vrabel, ensuring they drafted players known for being great leaders and teammates was clearly part of their decision-making.
Mike Vrabel couldn't hide what he was looking for in Patriots draft picks
The 2024 season was unlike any fans had seen in New England in decades. Other than it being the first season without Bill Belichick on the sidelines in over two decades, Jerod Mayo's tenure was off to a rocky start, mainly due to his presumed desire to be the complete opposite of his predecessor.
While there were aspects of how the Patriots were run that needed to be changed, it appeared that Mayo wanted to throw everything out that screamed Belichick's name and give the players the freedom to almost run the locker room. That's, at least, how fans perceived it based on how the Patriots began to operate, including the way Mayo and the players handled their media obligations.
It inevitably led to problem after problem, with players complaining about coaching and contracts to reporters, and what most felt was too much information being given to the media. There were also reported instances of players being out past curfew the night before a game and other issues that should have been kept behind closed doors, resulting in conflict then publicly discussed.
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The "Patriot Way" had been thrown out the window instead of being updated, which seems to be what Vrabel hopes to do. Several players the team selected in the draft were known for being of high character, leaders, and great teammates. Their addition to the locker room will help turn things around for the better, allowing the new head coach to accomplish perhaps the biggest feat set before him when accepting the job.
It was clearly his priority from the beginning, and it was also true for those they signed in free agency. Only Stefon Diggs raised the most questions due to his past.
On-field production was not ignored, however, yet it might be fair to argue that it wasn't the determining factor in the way that attitude and demeanor were for Vrabel and Co. We have already seen some of the benefits of those additions through their first interactions with the media, and it will naturally positively impact the locker room this year.