The New England Patriots simply went 4-13 and fired their head coach for the second consecutive season. They don’t seem to be precisely a mannequin franchise in the meanwhile.
However in comparison with the opposite NFL groups with head coach openings, the Patriots seemingly have two components working of their favor that may very well be essential in courting candidates — significantly Mike Vrabel, who currently is viewed as the front-runner for the New England job.
On Thursday’s Early Version, Patriots Insider Phil Perry shared that NFL folks he is spoken to view the Patriots’ head coach opening because the No. 1 job in the marketplace ahead of the five others (New York Jets, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars).
“Simply speaking to folks across the league, they do acknowledge that the Patriots’ job is one of the best job,” Perry stated, as seen within the video participant above.
“It has to do with two issues. No. 1 is the quarterback (Drake Maye). A spot like Vegas, the place possibly Mike Vrabel will interview ultimately, and even Chicago, the place they’ve the No. 1 total choose from final 12 months and all types of ceiling there — however I feel groups within the NFL would fairly, for essentially the most half, at the least proper now, work with Drake Maye than Caleb Williams.
“So, you have bought the verify with regards to the quarterback.”
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Williams entered the NFL with extra fanfare than Maye and technically put up higher stats, averaging 208.3 passing yards per recreation with 20 landing passes and 6 interceptions in comparison with Maye’s 175.1 yards per recreation with 15 landing passes and 10 interceptions. However some — notably including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky — imagine Maye has the possibility to be a greater professional in addition to a greater staff chief.
The Raiders, in the meantime, have Gardner Minshew atop their quarterback depth chart getting into a 2025 NFL Draft with a comparatively weak QB class led by Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward.
Perry additionally famous that New England has a greater possession state of affairs with Robert Kraft and his son Jonathan than the opposite groups with openings — even regardless of the dysfunction that is occurred since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020.
“You do have the verify, although the previous few years haven’t been fairly right here in New England and post-Invoice Belichick and even in direction of the tip of Invoice Belichick’s tenure right here, it hasn’t been good — folks nonetheless give this group and possession right here the verify over a spot like Chicago or Vegas.”
If Vrabel feels equally in regards to the Patriots’ QB and possession — he was inducted into New England’s Corridor of Fame in 2023 and has deep ties to the group — that would make the Patriots really feel a bit extra snug about Vrabel taking their job, even when he interviews elsewhere.
“They do have some leverage,” Perry added. “I feel Vrabel has extra, and he is bought a variety of it, however the Patriots might, I feel, afford to attend and nonetheless entice Vrabel to come back again later.”
New England interviewed Vrabel on Thursday and are scheduled to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday. They might in idea rent Vrabel later at any level, but when Vrabel needs to interview elsewhere, maybe New England would really feel a bit extra snug about him doing so.
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