“He wants everybody to be excited when we come to work. He’s big on that. He’s big on the energy. That’s just who he is. Everybody looks at him as this head coach, but he is really just one of the boys, a locker room guy. And I really mean that."
That synopsis of Mike Vrabel came earlier this week from free agent signee Harold Landry, who spent the first handful of years in the league under Vrabel in Tennessee. But am I the only one who couldn't help but hear those words and think this is what Robert Kraft hoped for last year when he put a very green Jerod Mayo on the hot seat?
Think about it. It was the classic hiring blueprint, going from a hard ass who lorded One Patriot Place for two decades and turning it over to the softer, gentler, more player-friendly Mayo. A Pete Carroll to Bill Parcells maneuver, which also happened under Kraft. Of course, Mayo didn't have Carroll's coaching chops and experience, and he failed spectacularly. Carroll didn't flame out quite like that, but he inherited a damn good roster and slowly but surely pissed it away.
I'll admit, generally, Landry's description of Vrabel would be a red flag for me — like sounding the alarms, pressing the panic button, and all that. But having seen Vrabel's approach find success with the Titans for a few seasons and never worrying about how tough and prepared his teams were — even as the talent eroded — brings a level of confidence that Mayo never exuded (partly because he never had the opportunity before).
“I feel like one of the main jobs for a head coach is to make sure your team’s prepared situationally,” Landry said. “And all I know is, as long as I played for Vrabes, there was never a situation I wasn’t prepared for. Like, I don’t care what the score was in the fourth quarter. I don’t know. We just always had a feeling that we were going to pull this out.
"Didn’t matter what the score was going into the fourth, and we just always found a way to win. It’s crazy. We just found a way to win. And that was just kind of the mentality. We just didn’t think we could lose, to be honest, no matter what was going on in the game."
That feeling has escaped the Pats in recent years for a variety of reasons - talent, coaching, stupidity (to name a few). But if Vrabel's approach takes root the way it did in Tennessee (and they upgrade that roster), the franchise can safely put recent failures in the rearview and re-establish that 'standard' they love to talk about but has been rarely seen since Tom Brady walked out the door.
REUNITED (AND IT FEELS SO GOOD)
Who knows if Pete Carroll can turn the Raiders around, but acquiring Geno Smith was a smart way to begin the process. It took a little while, but the two sides just agreed to a two-year extension for up to $75 million, which puts the quarterback under team control through the 2027-28 season. The fact that the guaranteed money only exists for the first two seasons gives the organization some flexibility with the 34-year-old Smith.
At a press conference announcing the deal, Smith cited his previous relationship with Carroll — one that continued this past year even after the Seahawks jettisoned their longtime coach — as a motivator.
“I think there is unfinished business,” he said. “When people think about my story, Coach Carroll is a big part of that. He gave me an opportunity when not many people would’ve, and he saw the hard work that I was putting in. He saw the things behind the scenes that I do that allowed me to get this opportunity. But to be able to play for him again — and to be a part of this organization — it means everything to myself and my family. I was just telling him that I’ll run through a wall for him, and he knows that.
And I’ll do the same for my teammates and for this organization. I just want that to be kind of who I am, and I want that statement of who I am as the quarterback of this team.”
Smith only cost Vegas a third-round pick, and considering how well he's played over the last three years, that's a small price to pay. He had the fourth-highest completion percentage during that time, leading the Seahawks to three straight winning seasons. This past year, with an offensive line that was one of the worst in football, Smith still hit on over 70% of his passes for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns. Yes, his turnovers are typically on the high side, but he's always had a bit of the 'no risk it, no biscuit' mentality.
“He’s going to bring us great stability and belief,” said Carroll. “His habits are so, so stellar. The way he works, the way he looks at the game, the way he looks at the challenges of it all is exactly in line with the way we think. And so, he’ll represent us in a magnificent fashion.”
The addition of Smith hasn't stopped the Raiders from investigating draft-eligible players at the position. They have had Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Will Howard, and Quinn Ewers in for visits. That seems to be driven by minority owner Tom Brady, who has talked quite a bit about wanting to draft and develop a young QB without the pressure of throwing him into game action right away. With Aidan O'Connell still under contract, Vegas has that ability. That said, the plan is to ride with Geno for as long as he keeps the wheels on the track.
“It’s about us going out there and earning every single thing,” said Smith. “I’m going to be the guy that’s going to give every single thing that I’ve got, and that’s every single day. I’m never going to let up. I’m going to do whatever it takes to go out there and win. It’s important that my teammates see that, and they see that in me, and I want them to be inspired by that.
“The work starts now.”
SPEAKING OF THE WORK...
The Raiders cut Jack Jones after being unable to find a trade partner. I can't say I'm surprised. He was given every opportunity to succeed here in New England and couldn't stay out of trouble — on or off the field.
That fits Jones's profile in college as well and contributed to the former five-star recruit not getting selected until the fourth round in 2022.
After a promising start for the Pats, including a pick-6 of Aaron Rodgers, Jones struggled to stay healthy and eventually ran afoul of the law, getting arrested for carrying loaded firearms into Logan Airport (the charges were ultimately dismissed). He followed that up by feuding with the coaching staff, and after missing curfew before a Week 9 game against the Commanders, was benched and ultimately released.
The Raiders signed Jones, reuniting him with his former high school and college coach, Antonio Pierce. The early results were promising, but true to form, the 27-year-old's play grew erratic. With Pierce fired, it was just a matter of time before Jones was sent packing (despite the Raiders being thin at cornerback). Jones has since gone unclaimed through waivers. Perhaps some coach will convince his organization that he can get the most out of the mercurial defender, but at this stage, it wouldn't be a shock if training camp kicked off in July and Jones was still out of work. After all, you reap what you sow.
CHEETAH REMAINS IN MIAMI, BUT FOR HOW LONG?
I don't envy the Miami Dolphins decision makers. They swung for the fences with their trade for Tyreek Hill and handed him not one but two massive contract extensions. It made sense. They were energized by Mike McDaniel and thought they had a roster to compete for a title. About that...
Meanwhile, the wideout continues to express unhappiness, whether verbally, as he did immediately following the regular season, or through his semi-regular social media exploits, which take passive aggressiveness to another level.
For a second straight week, Hill posted the "peace out" emoji on 'X' in response to an article by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who wondered if trading Hill was the smart thing for the Fins to do, especially after left tackle Terron Armstead's retirement (it is, for the record). And that was before the reports of another domestic incident involving Hill and his wife.
McDaniel, who had to sit down with Hill following his refusal to re-enter that week 18 game and then saying his time in Miami was over, again found himself answering questions about Hill's future during last week's league meetings, including a direct ask, "Will he be on the team this season?"
"I can certainly say with certainty that at this certain moment," McDaniel responded. "A lot of things can happen in the National Football League, so you throw absolutes out there, and then I’m – ‘hey, you said this.’ But yeah, we are fully planning to move forward as a better version of our relationship with Tyreek and the Miami Dolphins. I have no reason to think otherwise.”
McDaniel was wise to hedge his bets - you have to tread lightly around this dude - and even though Hill's been a constant presence in the facility this off-season (says the coach), the player's age, nagging injuries (he had wrist surgery), and petulance should be enough to convince the Fins that the time is now. Hill had 81 catches for a shade less than a thousand yards, his lowest numbers in both categories since the 2019 season. He's still plenty capable and could probably net a day-two pick. For a team dealing with some cap fallout and doesn't appear poised to unseat the Bills in the AFC East or Chiefs in the conference, why not add at least one high draft pick dart throw as they reshape their identity?
RBS ARE PEOPLE TOO
How good was running back Ashton Jeanty last season? He averaged 185.8 yards per game, nearly 50 more than FBS's next-closest ball carrier (UNC's Omarion Hampton). That's the second-greatest season by an RB since 2000, trailing only Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, who averaged 189.7 per game. Tomlinson went 5th overall. Could Jeanty also find himself in the top 10? Based on sheer talent, he should.
Thus far, the Boise State star (who is represented by Kendrick Bourne's agent, Henry Organ) has top-30 visits with three teams picking in the top 12: Las Vegas (6th), Chicago (10th), and Dallas (12th).
"There's a lot of running backs that do great things and I do take things from their game," Jeanty told Jon Gruden about a month ago. "As far as being exactly like them, I can't say that. I feel like I'm different; I'm my own breed."
Jeanty's level of physicality is impressive. He definitely qualifies as a soul snatcher. 74.7% of his yards were gained after contact. Do you understand how absurd that number is? But he also possesses an extra gear that makes him a breakaway threat.
I asked an assistant GM where he would slot Jeanty coming out of school compared to Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, and he put him firmly third. "It's a really deep class at the position, but don't believe the Hampton stuff. This kid is the best in the class, and it's by a decent amount. He runs so damn hard. Great power in his frame (he's sub 5-9). He is also an improving blocker and is a threat catching the football (he played some slot receiver in high school). I wouldn't take him off the field."