“Everybody is like it’s over at free agency. It’s never over,” said Mike Vrabel during the Patriots press conference three days ago. Now, as we move deeper into the free agency, the Patriots’ head coach is making a dent in the Bills Mafia. The Bills’ head coach, Sean McDermott, also wanted some fresh talent in their receiver department. So, he created space. But this time, the quarterback Josh Allen will have to bid goodbye to his star teammate.
It’s none other than Amari Cooper. The five-time Pro Bowler arrived at the Bills in October 2024. He played 8 games (4 starters) for them and had 20 receptions for 297 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. But failed to do anything in the playoffs with six receptions for 41 yards with no touchdown. This might have led the franchise to not extend the contract with the receiver.
Mike Vrabel would be eager to grab this occasion. He’s trying to build up the Patriots after a pathetic 4-13 season. The focus is their quarterback, Drake Maye. They lost the earlier battle for the LA Rams receiver, Cooper Kupp, who signed with the Seahawks. But Amari Cooper could be a major addition. A 10-year veteran in the league, he has 10k+ receiving yards. So, he knows how to maneuver the tough waters.
However, there could be two major issues. While talking about the deal, Mike Vrabel would have to give him the stability. He needs it in his career. The Cowboys signed a five-year extension worth $100 million in 2020. But they traded him to the Browns in 2022, from where the Bills got him last year. Now, the receiver is already 30 years old. So, the Patriots have to be very careful with the negotiations.
If Vrabel messes this up, other teams won’t waste much time. Tom Brady-owned Raiders are already in the race to sign up Cooper. They drafted him 4th in the 2015 NFL draft. So there is a past connection that they can use to get him. Pete Carroll also wants to boost up the offense by signing up other players around Geno Smith. So it’s like an all-out war in the free agency.
The Bills did not retain their players. They are busy to sort out their priorities. One of them is already gone.
Mike Vrabel snatches Josh Allen’s key weapon
The Patriots want players who bring in solidity. This led them to the former Bills WR, Mack Hollins. He was a key weapon for Josh Allen, with 5 TDs in the 2024 season, while also playing for special teams. The AFC East franchise signed him to a 1-year deal. But Mike Vrabel signed him to a 2-year, $8.4 million deal.
While talking about his new team, even the receiver also shared excitement. He was all smiles, looking jubilant as he named 3 reasons behind joining the Patriots. The first was his former Raiders HC, Josh McDaniels, who joined the Patriots as the offensive coordinator this year. The other two reasons are the legacy and rich history of franchise and the leader of men, Mike Vrabel.
All three are pretty solid ones. After a disastrous 2024 season, they want to turn things around. The owner, Robert Kraft, wants to get back into the playoffs. That’s the first expectation from the team. It wouldn’t be easy as Maye enters his 2nd year. But they also pick 4th in the coming draft. If their cards fall in the right place, they could emerge as the winners. It would be great!
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