Throughout the 20 years of the Patriots' dynasty, Bill Belichick became known for many things, one of the more notable things being his understanding of when to move on from a star player and which players could become an invaluable part of their roster after their previous team chose to move on for one reason or another.
That's how some lesser known guys became stars in New England, and that trend is apparently continuing under Mike Vrabel so far, as seen during the 2025 season.
Besides appearing to hit on every draft pick, it would also be fair to say that the new coaching staff deserves more credit for the free agents they've brought in who were recently cut from AFC East rivals, with the most prominent names becoming WR Mack Hollins and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III.
Although they weren't the flashiest names over the past few months, the Bills' decision not to retain Hollins proved to be a big problem for their offense, while Taylor's midseason cut was a mistake for the Jets.
Fortunately, the Patriots have benefitted from their presence, particularly in the playoffs.
The Patriots have found high performers in released players from the other AFC East teams
If, at the beginning of the season, Patriots fans had been told that Hollins would become a valuable part of the team's offense, especially in the AFC Championship, not many would have believed it.
The same can be said about Taylor, whose tipped field goal late in the fourth quarter helped secure the win for the team.
The #Patriots have done an excellent job finding underrated IDL depth
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) January 20, 2026
Leonard Taylor joined the PS in mid-October after being waived by the Jets
Since Wk 17, he’s top-6 among IDL in pressure and pass rush win rate (min. 45) along with late August addition Cory Durden
After the failure of the 2024 offseason, from free agency to the draft (besides Drake Maye), the Patriots needed a massive rebound with their roster, and they've accomplished that with ease.
Beyond their draft and free agency pickups, they've found several hidden gems that could become integral parts of their team moving forward, like Hollins and Taylor, and knowing they came from teams in the division only makes it that much sweeter.
There will be plenty of eyes watching these two, among a variety of others, during the Super Bowl, as they presumably will earn even more praise for their performances, and in some cases, maybe even a new contract.