Mike Vrabel discussed why the Patriots didn’t pursue a Micah Parsons trade

"We'll call it what is is: It hasn't been real great," Vrabel said of the team's drafting in recent years.

Mike Vrabel during a postgame press conference following the Patriots-Vikings preseason game. AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

September 2, 2025

2 minutes to read

Despite recent statements from a Patriots executive there were seemingly to the contrary, Mike Vrabel is taking the long view of rebuilding New England’s roster.

While speaking to WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Tuesday, Vrabel was asked about the recent Packers-Cowboys Micah Parsons trade. The blockbuster deal sent the talented pass rusher to Green Bay from Dallas in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark.

The trade comes only a few weeks after Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf said at a training camp press conference that the team “would consider” trading first or second-round draft picks to acquire top talent. But as aggressive as Wolf sounded in his earlier comment, Vrabel seemed more measured on Tuesday.

“We continue to have conversations about all players that are available,” Vrabel explained. He then pivoted into a humorous exchange with former Patriots teammate (and WEEI co-host) Jermaine Wiggins.

“I think you love saying Micah Pahhsons,” Vrabel joked with Wiggins, an East Boston native. He eventually made his way back to the topic of Parsons.

“Dynamic player, great player, but just…that wasn’t something that we really invested a lot of time or resources in,” he admitted. “I think when you just try to look at what we feel like is best for us right now, that wasn’t entertaining that specific transaction.”

Vrabel was then queried on whether or not pursuing Parsons’s availability would’ve been worth testing to a greater degree considering he was a potential “bargain” deal.

“Maybe [a] bargain price,” Vrabel offered. “I think we just have to be very smart on how we build this thing, and I hope that everybody else sees it the same way outside of here. We want to bring in players that we feel like give us the best chance, but also we have to build some depth here to this roster, and to do that from the draft.

The Patriots’ coach spoke of his intent to build the team over more than just one offseason. To do that, he underlined the important of keeping picks. He also candidly acknowledged the struggles the Patriots’ front office has had in making good draft seleections in recent years.

“We’ll call it what is is: It hasn’t been real great, the depth of the roster has not been through our draft the last handful of years, and that has to change,” he said. “We all know that, so we’ll focus on that when we get there in April. Right now it’s putting guys in roles that have some versatility, and building a game-day roster and all these different things. But I think the best teams in the league, they draft well, they develop their players, they re-sign them, and then they carefully choose the players that they want to add in free agency.”

A follow-up question was put to Vrabel: Did bad drafts preclude the team from trading first-round picks?

“No,” he said in response. “I’m just saying that when we build this thing, and moving forward, we want to build it and make sure that we’re building through the draft. And then again, like I said, retaining the players that we feel like have developed and have earned contracts. And while Micah Parsons is a great player, just probably wasn’t the best fit or the right time, I think, for us.”