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Mike Vrabel maps out ‘new trends,’ ‘vision’ that Josh McDaniels has for Patriots offense
"We’re gonna want to do things that maybe they didn’t do with the previous quarterbacks here."
The Patriots have a promising young quarterback in place in Drake Maye.
But new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel believes that a revamped coaching staff — including a familiar face in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — will be able to take the second-year QB and a reworked offense to new heights in 2025 and beyond.
Speaking to Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Vrabel stressed that McDaniels will be able to not only tailor the offense to Maye’s strengths, but also put together a scheme that adheres to today’s NFL strategies.
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“There’s been some growth from the offense over the years, and (McDaniels) has blended that with some of the new trends,” Vrabel told Lazar. “But the foundation will remain the same. I’m excited about adding some of those new trends.”
During McDaniels’ previous two stints as Patriots offensive coordinator, he was elevated by having a QB like Tom Brady at his disposal to execute on offense.
But, McDaniels also displayed an ability to augment New England’s offense to whatever QB was on the gridiron for the Patriots.
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While McDaniels and Brady thrived for years off of an intricate and thorough offensive system, McDaniels dialed up plenty of RPO (run-pass options) for a mobile QB like Cam Newton in 2020. He later opted for many crossers and short-yardage throws for Mac Jones in 2021.
Whereas a QB like Brady or Jones were often at their best on punctilious offensive units working in tandem, Maye thrived last year on improvised plays, often gaining plenty of yardage off scrambles or deep throws down the field.
Even as the Patriots’ coaches and top brass look to limit Maye’s turnovers and surround him with more talent this offseason, Vrabel stressed that the Patriots also plan to make the most of Maye’s athleticism.
“We’re gonna want to do things that maybe they didn’t do with the previous quarterbacks here,” Vrabel told Lazar. “That was all part of the interview process of what the vision is, things that you’ve liked from your history, things that you’d like to add, and where we could enhance some of that stuff.”
While signal-callers like Brady and Jones don’t possess the same running ability that Maye showcased last season, Vrabel’s comments might also allude to last year’s coaching staff. Jerod Mayo and Alex Van Pelt only opted to draw up designed QB runs for Maye over the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.
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There are plenty of risks and rewards that teams have to weigh when incorporating a hefty portion of QB runs into an offense — given the potential for injury.
But speaking on “The Quick Snap” podcast this week, former Patriots QB Brian Hoyer believes that McDaniels’ strength as an OC lies in his ability to augment his game plan each and every week, rather than stick to one strategy.
“The West Coast system — and I’ve had more success as a player in the West Coast system than I did in any other system — you do what you do. You’re going to be really good at your plays. You’re gonna dress them up a certain way. You’re gonna run them every week,” Hoyer said.
“As far as Josh is concerned, it’s [about] what the defense gives you. Are we playing a team that plays a lot of man? OK, we’re going to run a lot of man-beaters this week. We’re not gonna run a bunch of pass plays that aren’t good against man.”
Vrabel and his reworked coaching staff still have plenty of work to do when it comes to both developing Maye and bolstering the roster around him.
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But the former Patriots linebacker believes that his staff — headlined by McDaniels, defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, and special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer — have the mettle necessary to raise New England from the bottom of the AFC standings.
“There’s an experience level that’s critical. … I like to invest in people, and (Williams) is one,” Vrabel said. “He’s a great person, a great coach. He’s got a large, wide reach on every player that he’s ever been around, and he’s made an impact.”
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