A new era of Patriots football is upon us, with the team set to kick off its first training camp under head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday. Despite back-to-back four-win seasons and no playoff football in Foxboro since 2021, hopes are high in New England.
Vrabel gives the Patriots an established NFL head coach, and one who lived the life as an NFL player for 14 years. Eight of those seasons were spent in New England, where he won his three Super Bowl rings.
He hasn't won a title as a head coach, but Vrabel would love for that to change in New England. His arrival is one of the many reasons Patriots fans are feeling upbeat and optimistic about 2025, along with Year 2 of Drake Maye, the addition of Stefon Diggs on offense, and the revival of the New England defense. The Patriots are actually favored to win 11 games ahead of the season, after going into last season as the underdogs in all 17 contests.
While it's mostly sunshine and lollipops for the Patriots and every other team around the NFL as they kick off training camp, there are also a number of storylines that could derail the new season. Here's what we'll be looking for as the Patriots kick off training camp Wednesday, leading up to the 2025 NFL season.
The Mike Vrabel Era begins
The last season of Bill Belichick's Hall of Fame run in New England was a mess, resulting in a four-win campaign. Jerod Mayo's only season in New England was an even bigger mess, resulting in an even more frustrating four-win campaign.
In comes Vrabel, a no-nonsense, get-down-and-dirty head coach who is looking to change the DNA of the Patriots. Mike Vrabel's Patriots are going to be all about effort, finishing plays, and essentially creating some violence on the football field.
We've already seen the new identity under Vrabel in play during minicamp practices. It should only strengthen when the team puts on pads and starts hitting this summer.
How often will Vrabel lay some licks in practice?
We've also seen Vrabel is not afraid to get down and dirty himself in practice. He's OK with delivering a hit -- or being hit -- on the field if it leads to a learning moment or two.
Don't expect him to take aim at Drake Maye, but Vrabel could grab a pad and start delivering some licks if he needs to really hammer home a point.
Drake Maye's continued rise
The pressure is on for Vrabel to succeed in New England as a coach. But the most pressure rests on the shoulders of 22-year-old Drake Lee Maye as he heads into his second season as quarterback of the New England Patriots. There is no veteran to beat out or keep the seat warm until he's ready this year. The Patriots are his team as Maye heads into his first camp as the starting quarterback.
Maye had an up-and-down rookie campaign after he took over for Jacoby Brissett in Week 6. We saw plenty of his unique blend of size, arm strength, and speedy athleticism, which are the main source of hope for New England fans going forward. The raw ability is all there for Maye; now he has to make adjustments as opposing defenses make adjustments to him. The mental aspect of it all is a big part of the Year 2 jump for quarterbacks.
Maye also has to cut down on his turnovers after he threw 15 picks and lost six fumbles over 13 games as a rookie, and he needs to learn how to take a hit after he suffered a concussion on a scramble last season.
There's a little more talent around Maye this season and he's now got Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator. The hope remains high for the young quarterback, but the pressure is on to turn that upside into wins on Sundays.
Can Will Campbell lock down left tackle?
The fourth overall pick is high on this list because if he can anchor the left side of the New England offensive line for years to come, the team is in a great spot going forward. If not, the road will be a lot bumpier.
Soon enough Campbell will have to protect Maye's blind side and open some holes for New England running backs. But for now, we'll wait to see what the kid can do in practice once live contact is introduced, which will give us a much better indication of what to expect from Campbell and the offensive line this season.
There is a lot riding on Campbell's shoulders and seemingly undersized arms, but we won't put too much pressure on him just yet. That can wait until until Week 1 when Maxx Crosby and the Raiders come to town.
Who will start at left guard?
While Mike Onwenu will lock down the right guard spot, left guard has a question mark heading into the new season. Third-year lineman Cole Strange is the leader in the clubhouse to occupy the spot, after he got the majority at left guard late in voluntary workouts. Veteran Wes Schweitzer has since retired, which also increases Strange's odds to land the gig and help revive his career.
But he'll have to hold off Sidy Sow (who has played left guard for New England before) and Caedan Wallace (who saw action at guard in the spring) in camp to secure the job. Whoever earns the spot, left guard will remain a question mark along the offensive line.
The Doug Marrone Effect
Yes, more offensive line talk. But it's such a huge storyline for the Patriots after the O-line displayed such massive ineptitude the last two seasons. The Patriots allowed 52 sacks last season, with only the Bears, Browns, Texans, and Seahawks allowing more in 2024.
It was clear throughout last season the Patriots needed to surround Maye with a better group of protectors. Vrabel and Eliot Wolf have attempted to bolster the group by drafting Campbell and signing veterans Morgan Moses (right tackle) and Garrett Bradbury (center). The 34-year-old Moses has a lot of NFL miles, but he's been a great leader for younger players after signing a two-year deal.
But the biggest impact on the group may come from the sideline from O-line coach Doug Marrone, who is now the sixth offensive line coach in New England since Dante Scarnecchia retired after the 2019 season. He's been coaching offensive lines at the college and pro level since the 1990s, along with stints as head coach of the Jaguars and Bills and at Syracuse.
The New England offensive line will be looking to improve at the most basic and fundamental levels in 2025. Keep Maye protected and give him room to operate, and open up holes for running backs so the Patriots can actually establish a run game.
Given the team's offseason investments on the line in Campbell, Moses, and Bradbury, plus the addition of Maronne on the sideline, the New England offensive line should return to a respectable level of play in 2025. If not, it will be another long and unsuccessful season for the Patriots and likely a painful one for Maye.
How much will Stefon Diggs bring to offense?
Alright, onto the sexier parts of the offense. The Patriots went out and added a star receiver in Diggs, although he's still on the mend as he recovers from a torn ACL.
But the Patriots have been desperate for a stud receiver, having now gone five seasons without a 1,000-yard receiver. If healthy, Diggs could put and end to that streak. He had topped 1,000 receiving yards in six straight seasons and was on his way to a seventh with the Texans before he tore his ACL last October.
Diggs could be everything Maye and the Patriots offense needs to succeed. He's also a diva receiver so expect both football-related (translation: Get me the ball!) and some off-the-field drama (which we already got) from Diggs. But that's all par for the course with a diva receiver, and something that can be forgiven with a high-impact season.
Exciting rookie Kyle Williams
Drafting receivers has been precarious in New England for decades, but there is a lot of hype surrounding Washington State burner Kyle Williams. The third-round pick is bringing some serious play-making abilities to New England, and could quickly become one of Maye's favorite targets this summer.
UDFA Efton Chism
Efton Chism III made a strong first impression as an undrafted rookie during the spring, as he showed off speed and quickness on his routes and some solid hands in traffic. The Eastern Washington standout could fit McDaniels' offense as a slot receiver if he continues to stand out in practice this summer.
Patriots veteran receivers
Two vets to watch in the receiving corps: Kendrick Bourne and Mack Hollins.
Bourne played 12 games last season as he recovered from a torn ACL and hauled in 28 receptions for 305 yards and a touchdown. He'll be 30 in August and carries a $7.7 million cap hit for the 2025 season.
The Patriots may ultimately opt to go with younger receivers, but Bourne has a fan in McDaniels. He caught 55 passes for 800 yards and five touchdowns in McDaniels' offense in 2021, and could provide leadership in the group as the only player with previous experience in his offense.
Mack Hollins also has experience playing for McDaniels, as the two were together in Las Vegas in 2022 when the receiver had a career year with 57 catches for 390 yards. Hollins was sidelined in the spring with an undisclosed injury (but was still present in Foxboro) and is starting camp on PUP. But he's a four-down player who will likely get a spot on the roster.
And as a bonus, we'll be keeping an eye out to see if Hollins dons any footwear on those steamy practice fields.
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