{"id":846289,"date":"2026-04-01T03:55:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846289\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T03:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:55:28","slug":"six-takeaways-from-mike-vrabels-interview-at-nfl-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846289\/","title":{"rendered":"Six takeaways from Mike Vrabel’s interview at NFL meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew England Patriots\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t“Championships will remain the goal. That will never change.”<\/p>\n

\"New
\n\tMike Vrabel spoke with the media for over 30 minutes on Tuesday.in Phoenix. AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin\t<\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters at the annual NFL owners\u2019 meetings in Phoenix, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel touched on several topics with reporters, including expectations for next season, the upcoming NFL Draft, A.J. Brown, and much more.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Beyond his comments regarding TreVeyon Henderson\u2019s recent social media posts<\/a>, here are six other takeaways from Vrabel\u2019s meeting with the media in Arizona on Tuesday morning:<\/p>\n

The latest A.J. Brown update<\/p>\n

The waiting game continues between the Patriots and their long-rumored pursuit of Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown.<\/p>\n

Mike Vrabel has already spoken highly of Brown this spring<\/a>, with the two crossing paths with the Tennessee Titans during Vrabel\u2019s first NFL head-coaching role.<\/p>\n

While trade whispers continue to swirl around the Patriots and their desire to pry the All-Pro wideout out of Philly, Vrabel recited a similar script about New England\u2019s interest in the veteran on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve talked about this since last January. We\u2019re gonna try to do everything we can to strengthen our roster, through the draft, through free agency, multiple ways of player acquisition, Vrabel said. \u201cSo, anything that we can continue to do to strengthen the roster, we\u2019re going to try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

If New England eventually comes to terms with the Eagles on a deal for Brown, it likely won\u2019t happen until after June 1<\/a>, given the current dead-cap implications for Philadelphia if they move Brown before that deadline.<\/p>\n

Setting expectations for Maye<\/p>\n

Drake Maye<\/a>\u2019s ascension from promising rookie to legitimate MVP candidate played a critical role in New England\u2019s unexpected run to Super Bowl LX in February.<\/p>\n

But, at just 23 years old, Maye still has plenty of room to grow going into his third year in the NFL ranks.<\/p>\n

Vrabel was asked on Tuesday about what strides he wants to see his quarterback make in 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think his ability to control the game at the line of scrimmage,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cWhether that\u2019s operationally, getting us into a better play. Continue to take ownership of the offense.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s an extension of Josh [McDaniels], and when Josh sends the play in, we want Drake to own it and bring it to life with cadence, communication, motion. There\u2019s nothing physically. He\u2019s very talented, so continue to push him to lead and orchestrate and conduct the offense.\u201d<\/p>\n

High standards<\/p>\n

During his meeting with the media on Monday, team owner Robert Kraft<\/a> acknowledged that the 2026 Patriots might have some daunting challenges ahead due to a difficult schedule.<\/p>\n

As such, Kraft didn\u2019t want to set any win totals or unreasonable expectations for New England as it tries to get back to the Super Bowl next winter.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy objective every year is we make the playoffs,\u201d Kraft said.<\/a> \u201cAnd as we saw last year, when you\u2019re privileged to make the playoffs, anything can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vrabel, however, is setting a bit of a higher standard for his club going into a new season.<\/p>\n

\u201cChampionships will remain the goal. That will never change,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cWe want to win the division, we want to host playoff games, and we want to compete for championships. We got a taste of that, we saw what that looked like, we saw the environment that it created to be able to play those playoff games at home, which was unbelievable and so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Draft plans<\/p>\n

New England addressed a few holes on its roster via free agency, adding pickups like Romeo Doubs, Dre\u2019Mont Jones, Kevin Byard, and Alijah Vera-Tucker.<\/p>\n

Still, Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden, and the rest of New England\u2019s top brass need to bolster the rest of the Patriots\u2019 roster in the 2026 NFL Draft \u2014 with the Patriots first on the clock with the 31st overall pick.<\/p>\n

Even with New England still needing to shore up its pass-rushing corps, tight-end personnel, and tackle depth, Vrabel cautioned against the Patriots honing in on just one segment of the roster with their valuable draft capital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you should ever draft for need,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cThat\u2019s not a position that you ever want to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given that New England is slotted in near the end of the first round, could the Patriots focus more on a project at No. 31?<\/p>\n

\u201cBest player available, hopefully,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cMaybe we trade up, maybe we trade out. I don\u2019t know. I love being able to work with Eliot and Ryan, their staff, the coaches, and trying to bring that together. I\u2019m trying to bring the coach\u2019s perspective on a player and the personnel side together to bring the best person in there for our football team.\u201d<\/p>\n

New England could also hone in on the tight end position during the draft. Hunter Henry is back in 2026, but is 31 years old, while Austin Hooper left in free agency to sign with the Falcons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love \u2019em. Give me nine of \u2019em. Bring me as many tight ends as we can get,\u201d Vrabel said of adding tight ends to the roster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope,\u201d he added when asked if New England might draft a tight end. \u201cJust trying to find the right guy. There\u2019s different [tight ends]. \u00a0Some are receiving, some more at the line of scrimmage, some a little bit of both. We\u2019ll try to come up with the one that fits us best and see where we can draft one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moving future assets<\/p>\n

New England could add an intriguing player with some of their Day 1 and 2 picks in next month\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

But, if the Patriots realistically want to acquire an immediate impact player for 2026 and beyond \u2014 like A.J. Brown \u2014 they will have to part with some valuable draft capital to seal the deal.<\/p>\n

Given that New England is well ahead of schedule and now in the midst of a contention window after last year\u2019s success, Vrabel admitted that the team has to be willing to get uncomfortable if they want to add star talent right away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, the compensation is compensation,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cYou have to agree to something and whether it\u2019s capital in this year\u2019s draft\u2026 However, you can come to an agreement with another team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never really looked at it as this year, next year, how good the draft is in three years. Just try to come to an agreement. If you make a trade, you just want to try to come to an agreement that both teams feel like they\u2019re getting something, that they, that everybody\u2019s happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bolstering the QB room<\/p>\n

\u200bNew England\u2019s hopes of making it back to the Super Bowl might rest on Maye\u2019s arm. But, Vrabel acknowledged that the Patriots still need to fill out the QB depth chart behind him.<\/p>\n

\u200bThe Patriots made the call to release veteran backup Joshua Dobbs last week<\/a>, with Tommy DeVito standing as the next man up under center.<\/p>\n

While Maye holds court as New England\u2019s franchise QB, Vrabel acknowledged that New England ideally wants to add another quarterback to their roster at some point this offseason.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u201cWe need a third arm,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cWe\u2019ll try to find a young guy that we can develop and potentially add to the roster, whether that\u2019s on the 53-man or the practice squad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Profile\t<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.<\/p>\n

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