Patriots HC Mike Vrabel makes thoughts known on team's draft plan - "We want to be aggressive"

The arrival of Mike Vrabel at the New England Patriots signals a significant shift in the team's identity. Vrabel, who starred as a player under Bill Belichick, is known for coaching teams with a physical edge, having spent six seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

The Patriots have not been true contenders since the 2019 season, when Tom Brady was still the quarterback. A 4-13 record in 2024 highlighted a flawed roster and led to the dismissal of coach Jerod Mayo.

During a press conference at the start of the offseason program, Vrabel was asked about the team’s draft strategy. He didn’t hesitate in laying out his vision. New England, he said, wants to be aggressive in its approach to roster building, prioritizing talent over personality:

"I think we want to be aggressive," he said (per Patriots.com). "I think there's a difference between taking risks and being aggressive and adding quality players and people to the roster. That'll happen throughout player acquisition. I think that's something that's important, but certainly the talent of the player has to be evaluated first.

"Then you go through a lot of different exercises and conversations and just try to figure out the type of person. You can't win and you can't do what we want to do with just a bunch of good dudes. That's not going to get it done."

Who could the Patriots draft with the No. 4 pick?

The franchise will hope that edge rusher Abdul Carter is still available at No. 4. With Cam Ward and Travis Hunter projected to go in the top three, Carter is expected to be selected at No. 3 by the New York Giants.

However, that scenario could change if a team trades up for quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Carter visited the Patriots' facility earlier in the week. Vrabel wouldn’t comment specifically on the visit but praised the prospect, calling his tape “dynamic” and noting that he has “a lot of great qualities of a disruptive pass rusher."

The Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants pick ahead of New England in the first round.