“I’ve been in the league for 25 years, we all know when a cell phone goes off.” Mike Vrabel has come full circle from grinding for a spot on the roster to being the HC of the Patriots heading into the 2025 season. Now the Pats legend returns to Foxborough, swapping his three Super Bowl rings as a player for the whistle of a head coach tasked with reviving a fallen dynasty, with QB Drake Maye marked for stardom. The challenge is brutal: resurrect a 4-13 squad that has missed the playoffs four of the last five years.
At 49, Vrabel’s no-nonsense D-line built in the offseason roster is stepping into Patriots training camp on July 23 with something to prove. He risks becoming irrelevant himself as Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports placed him in Tier 2 of head coaches, calling him a “serviceable” veteran and ranking him at No. 16 overall. That’s a surprising downgrade for the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year. Vrabel is returning from just one year away from coaching, and yet the buzz around his name feels muted. His task of reshaping the Patriots team, despite heavy scrutiny, seems to come with relatively low media expectations while managing early roster hurdles. With the latest update, the latter will be his bigger concern.
Vrabel opens camp with seven names on the physically unable to perform list. WR Mack Hollins, TE Austin Hooper, OT Vederian Lowe, and LB Jahlani Tavai are all on the active/PUP list, meaning they are not ready for practice. CB Carlton Davis III, S Josh Minkins, and WR Jeremiah Webb are on the active/non-football injury list. That designation also prevents practice reps. With the team allowed a maximum of 90 players at camp, these designations will factor into tough roster math as Vrabel inches toward trimming down to the final 53. But Maye won’t be tasked alone with building the O-line back up alone.
One notable absence from either list is WR Stefon Diggs. Despite a torn ACL suffered last October while playing for the Texans, Diggs is cleared for training camp. ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirmed Diggs avoided the PUP list ahead of camp. The injury occurred on a non-contact route during Houston’s 23-20 win over Indianapolis in Week 8. His $63.5 million deal is starting to feel like a gamble that could actually pay off.
Opinion/analysis: Not seeing WR Stefon Diggs as part of the PUP/NFI lists suggests his recovery from a torn ACL is progressing … as he appears to be on track to be on the field for Day 1 of training camp. https://t.co/nUaxX0LRq2
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 19, 2025
This is Vrabel’s challenge now. He has to find a balance between rehabbing stars, managing salary cap limits, and deciding which players stick. NFL front offices rarely have the luxury of standing still, and this offseason has already tested New England‘s ability to move fast. For Vrabel, every decision will be watched closely. He returns not just to lead, but to restore relevance.
Mike Vrabel’s balancing act
Mike Vrabel’s first offseason in New England has been a balancing act between talent and financial reality. As the Patriots move closer to trimming their roster, three deals have drawn more attention than any other. RT Mike Onwenu carries a $21 million cap hit. SS Kyle Dugger follows at $15.2 million. RB Rhamondre Stevenson comes in at $5.5 million. In total, that’s $41.7 million committed to three players. It is the kind of number that makes front offices uneasy with the cutdown day looming.
While contracts raise concerns, performance leaves room for interpretation. On the WEEI Sports Original podcast, Tom E. Curran addressed the issue directly. “The only three that I would look at [cutting/trading] would be all of whom were re-signed last year,” Curran said. “And this is not saying that they would. But the only logic of doing that would be to escape massive cap hits.” The numbers are heavy, but not without logic. These are returning veterans with system familiarity. That matters.
Curran pointed specifically to Onwenu. “Does it make sense to trade Mike Onwenu?” he asked. “He has such a ridiculously high cap hit… and next year’s is even more.” Dugger’s contract stands as the second-largest on the team, and Stevenson’s production hasn’t consistently lived up to his $5.5 million figure. These cap hits might force a decision, especially if performance lags behind value. But there is no clear-cut answer.
“They’re good, solid players,” Curran admitted. “Maybe somewhat overpaid in each instance, but if you’re going to be good, you need good players. You don’t want to get rid of what you presume to be good players.” Vrabel now sits in the pressure seat. He must keep key contributors while managing a thin cap. With Diggs returning from injury and seven players on PUP or NFI lists, Vrabel’s decisions will shape the team’s early identity.
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