Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports was first to report on Thursday that the Patriots are expected to hire Booker, who spent last season as a senior defensive assistant and nickel cornerback coach for the Buffalo Bills. Booker has plenty of experience coaching NFL secondaries, and plenty of experience working with Vrabel.

Who is Scott Booker?

Booker played safety in college at Kent State from 1999-2002, and then joined the school’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant from 2003-04 and a defensive backs coach from 2005-08. He also coached at Western Kentucky as a secondary coach in 2009, at Notre Dame as an offensive assistant from 2010-11 and tight ends coach and special teams coordinator from 2012-16, and at Nebraska as safeties coach and special teams coordinator in 2017.

Booker made the jump to the NFL in 2018 when he was hired by Vrabel as a defensive assistant in Tennessee. He was promoted to the Titans safeties coach in 2020, and held that role for four seasons in Tennessee. During his run in that position, Booker coached Kevin Byard, who was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the Titans in 2021.

After Vrabel was fired by the Titans after the 2023 season, Booker went to Buffalo to join Sean McDermott’s staff for the 2024 season. It’s unclear which role he’ll fill for the Patriots, but with safeties coach Brian Belichick and cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino not returning, Booker is a prime candidate to coach New England’s safeties going forward.

The Patriots also recently hired Kevin Richardson to Vrabel’s staff, after he spent last season as the assistant defensive backs coach for Illinois. Booker and Richardson are part of a completely revamped defensive staff in New England, as Vrabel is also reportedly bringing in Zak Kuhr, Milton Patterson, and Clinton McMillan to coach under new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams.

The Patriots have not yet announced the majority of Vrabel’s coaching hirings, but will do so after he finishing filling out his staff