Mike Vrabel Wants To Be Aggressive in Free Agency

By Steve Atkinson 

Mike Vrabel spoke at the scouting combine and had two press conferences, one at a podium and one at a round table. He also went on shows, but I want to focus on the press conferences. Jerod Mayo had one press conference in the hallway at the scouting combine, and that was it. Eliot Wolf had a press conference the following day, wanting to bring the Packer Way to New England. This year, it seems Vrabel is about to go back to the days of Belichick with a modern approach. Why didn’t the Krafts let Mayo do what he wanted to do last year?

Mike Vrabel, like Jerod Mayo, wants the Patriots to burn some cash

The answer is simple the Rooney Rule and the Kraft’s had to fill a requirement. They already promised Mayo the job the Kraft’s couldn’t go back on their word even though the coach they really wanted, Vrabel was out there. So what did the Kraft’s do? They hire Vrabel to give him absolutely no help on both sides of the ball. A first-year defensive coordinator and a first-year offensive coordinator who was getting paid by the Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, Vrabel is a consultant for the Cleveland Browns because he knows the job he wants is waiting for him.

Jerod Mayo said the same thing Mike Vrabel said this year

Jerod Mayo has his “Burn some cash” comment on WEEI last year Vrabel said mostly the same thing today at the combine.

We want to target players that we feel like are going to help us, that are going to be outstanding players, that are going to be outstanding additions to the locker room and the community. And if that all fits and the compensation fits – but I’m confident that we’ll be aggressive.”

Here’s what Mayo said last year.

We’re bringing in talent, 1,000 percent,” Mayo said Monday with a touch of humor on sports radio WEEI. “We have a lot of cap space and cash. We’re ready to burn some cash!”

The Kraft’s hired Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels early last season

So what changed from last year to this year? The Kraft’s have the head coach they really want after filling a requirement. More proof of this is Vrabel’s take on Josh McDaniels today.

You asked about Josh. Having communications with Josh in my role in Cleveland, he wasn’t under contract with a team so we had numerous conversations. Interviewed a handful of great candidates and in the end, felt like Josh was the best fit to lead our offense, just like Terrell (Williams) was the best fit to our defense and Jeremy (Springer) and Tom (Quinn) returning to lead the special teams unit.”

There it is Josh McDaniels was talking to Vrabel all last season, knowing for a fact they would be in New England in a year. The Kraft’s reached out to outside help on how to develop Drake Maye. One can guess it was Josh McDaniels. He was employed by a team and talking to Vrabel anyway.

The Patriots have sham Rooney Rule interviews before hiring Mayo and McDaniels for this upcoming season. If they spend money this off-season, my opinion will be right that they could’ve done it last year but didn’t because the Kraft’s didn’t want Mayo to succeed. They wanted to draft Maye to get his feet wet, then get the guy and offensive coordinator they want after the season ended. We’ll see if I’m right after free agency begins.