Full disclosure: every time I try to put the 2024-25 Patriots' aimless journey to the bottom of the league in the attic - or at least in some storage bins off the side - something reminds me of what a colossal waste of time that experience was.
That point was hammered home at the end of last week when the Pats opened up rookie mini-camp with the media in attendance (for the first time in a long time). I was curious to see some draft picks, but my eyes were mainly locked on the coaching staff, particularly Mike Vrabel. I have witnessed his 'here, there, everywhere' presence during my years covering Vrabel's Tennessee Titans (for that network that shall not be named). A year away from being in charge did nothing to change that approach.
I saw it as Vrabel bounced from position group to position group and drill to drill. He had eyes on his highly drafted linemen but also had words of encouragement for undrafted free agent Jack Conley (Boston College). He sprinted (I use that term loosely for a nearly 50-year-old man) to C.J. Dippre after a 7-on-7 rep, demonstrating how he wanted the tight end to attack the seam on that particular play. I wish I had a video of it (camera/phones were shut down by the team at that point). It showed you a coach fully invested in his players, as promised.
Later, Vrabel emerged from behind the offense to praise wide receiver John Jiles for a route and catch and slapped palms with the second-year UDFA out of West Florida. He also approached another UDFA, Memphis' Demeer Blankumsee, after a rep to discuss what he saw versus what Blankumsee did. Vrabel is a commanding presence, and the rookies and the handful of assorted veterans on hand got to see that up close and personal.
"It shows you how much he cares, and how much he cares about the rookies, and how much he cares about their development and everybody, not just the drafted guys, but literally everybody that's a rookie," said third-rounder Jared Wilson. "He cares about everything and is hands-on. It's just great to see him out there actually running around with us."
"I love that," said Kyle Williams. "I mean, as a player, you love those types of things. That's how you know somebody really bought into what they're saying."
Vrabel knows what he wants and how he wants it to happen. His coaching experience is vast, from college, where he spent three years as an LB and DL coach under Urban Meyer, to the pros, first as an assistant in Houston in 2014 before earning the defensive coordinator title in 2017. A year later, he was one of the 32 - named the head coach in Tennessee. Vrabel didn't need help running practices then, and he sure as hell doesn't now.
"I love being in the offensive line (meetings), love being with the defense," Vrabel said. "Sitting in with the receivers, I learn a lot, and I feel like there's things that I can help as well."
That's where the memories of last year come to mind. Jerod Mayo wandered the practice field, generally observing and not speaking. As Mayo said repeatedly, he wanted his coaches to coach. It turns out that it's more likely that he had no idea what he wanted or how to achieve it.
From my column on January 7th, a day after Mayo was dismissed by ownership.
One vet told me, "I lost faith we were headed in the right direction." When? "In the spring." Why? "Felt like he — they — were making it up as they went along. It was amazing how one day it would be this and then the next, something completely different."
Another added, "It became more about looking myself in the mirror and the guys in my room and huddle and saying 'I'm leaving it out here for you.' Because I never believed we had an edge (in coaching)."
A season can go sideways before it starts, not just because of injuries or contract holdouts. Ownership got Mayo wrong — and maybe did him wrong in the process — but it rectified the problem and now has the foundation for an actual program again.
"...he cares about this organization and about his players," added Wilson. "You can tell how he comes into the building every single day. How serious and intent he is with the details."
What a novel concept.