Report: Mike Vrabel is Interested in Coaching the Patriots

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It was just about 11 months ago that Mr. Kraft promoted Jerod Mayo to head coach. So confident was he in Mayo's ability that he hired him without so much as an interview with any other available candidates. Because by his own words he recognized his new head coach's greatness while on a trip to the Holy Land five years ago. 

That said, it was 14 months ago that Mike Vrabel was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, and despite still drawing a paycheck from Tennessee, referred to his former team in the first person plural:

Vrabel was told to pack his shit by the Titans about 12 weeks later, but Mayo still got the Krafts' Final Rose. But it's impossible not to notice that the Patriots keep getting worse while Vrabel's unemployment status stays the same. Despite the fact he coached the Titans to three straight playoffs, went 32-17 over that stretch, brought them to an AFC championship game and was the 2021 Coach of the Year. Even if you factor in the 6-11 finish to his Tennessee career - which you should - that means his in his worst season, he won twice as many games as Mayo probably will this year. 

Which brings us to this report from Tom E. Curran:

Here's the thing about that. I contend, and both Curran and Albert Breer confirmed in the same show where they reported this, that the plan is to stick with Mayo. Because the Krafts still believe in him. And feel that he deserves to have the same chance Dan Campbell (4-19-1 at the start of his Lions career) got in Detroit. 

All of which is reasonable enough, I suppose. You can easily make a case for this perspective. Doctor Strange could do that thing where he goes into a spasm-fueled trance and looks into all the possible outcomes. And 10 million simulations later, he's not finding a single one where you approach .500 with Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs at tackle. No matter who's carrying the challenge flag in his sock. So you can sort of justify patience in this situation.

But at the same time, when you've got a chance to land a guy with Vrabel's track record, reasonableness, perspective and patience don't count for much. 

Let's face our current reality like adults. Despite having Drake Maye, Christian Gonzalez, a high draft pick and lots of cap money, the Patriots job is still hardly the most desirable in football, college or pros. The aforementioned roster needs a major overhaul, which is going to involve not just heavy lifting, but moving mountains. 

The offensive line and wide receiver corps are the worst in the league. The four picks (Rounds 2-4) used to improve them have so far been an enormous waste of draft capital. Cases in point: Of the 212 wideouts graded by Pro Football Focus, Ja'Lynn Polk is 211th. And among the 87 guards with 150-plus snaps, Layden Robinson is 82nd. Bonus: 2023 4th rounder Sidy Sow is dead last at 87. So the very fact Vrabel is willing to consider this as an opportunity, and not a situation that should be avoided like a San Francisco homeless encampment, is reason enough to strongly consider replacing Mayo with him. 

It all comes down to a question of which guy gives you the best chance to compete at the dawning of the Drake Maye Era. Squandering his rookie season is one thing. If you end up building a culture of losing around him for another season, or God forbid more, you risk it becoming permanent. 

On Mayo's watch, they're 31st in offense. Much more damning than that, they're 23rd in defense. Only six teams in football have a worse point differential. You can't even make the last month of the season a referendum on him, because the Arizona game was the last chance for his team to prove themselves, and it was a shambles. Finishing with the Bills, Chargers and Bills again, it's impossible to expect a win or even for them to keep it close. If the Krafts (or we) are expecting positive signs the rest of the way, they might as well just get Vrabel and his agent on the phone now and tell them to name their price. 

I say again, I think the plan to stick with Mayo is very much still on. But Vrabel represents a Hall Pass. A chance for ownership to save face by saying, "We still love you. But long before there was you, there was him." In the same way I'd understand if my own devoted Irish Rose met Orlando Bloom in his full Legolas gear from Lord of the Rings. It's not a reflection on me; I just can't compete with that. 

Right now, after the season this team has been through, any change is welcome. And Mike Vrabel getting to call the Patriots "we" again would absolutely fire up a fanbase that's sick of being the laughingstock of the NFL.