When Mike Vrabel took command of the Patriots’ football operation in January 2025, no one should have had any illusions about what would transpire. The 2023 and 2024 Patriots were a train wreck, both on and off the field. Their combined 7-27 records resulted in the cashiering of two Patriots’ head football coaches, one of 20 years’ plus vintage, Bill Belichick, and his replacement, Jerod Mayo.
The status quo was not an option, and, aside from perhaps two nods to owner Robert Kraft (which would be substantial if they were), it was carte blanche for Vrabel to tear down the old Patriots and rebuild the team anew. And one place he started early was on the dreadful offensive line.
The Patriots’ 2024 offensive line was arguably the NFL’s worst. It allowed 52 quarterback sacks, including many of its rookie star, Drake Maye, who took his lumps as a result. Vrabel wasn’t about to let that dismal situation fester, and he hasn’t. Part of the house-cleaning was sending three veterans drafted by Bill Belichick and Eliot Wolf packing on the way to his 53-man roster.
Mike Vrabel has cleaned out much of the 2024 offensive line
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski has tabbed the Patriots’ releasing three veteran offensive linemen as one of the “Biggest Surprises and Shocks from 2025 NFL Roster Cuts”.
“Mike Vrabel definitely placed his stamp on the New England Patriots in his first year with the team as head coach…Cole Strange, Layden Robinson and Sidy Sow have all been starters for the Patriots. In fact, between the three, they combined to start 54 games over the last four games. The Patriots cut all three…The Patriots almost wiped the slate clean along the offensive line. Beyond Michael Onwenu, the organization brought in veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury to help stabilize the unit. The team then invested first- and third-round draft picks in Will Campbell, the fourth overall selection, and Jared Wilson. A pair of rookies will now be protecting quarterback Drake Maye’s blind side.”
Sobleski is correct that any NFL team sending three veteran offensive linemen packing at once is an unusual circumstance. Yet, it was in his statement that the Patriots, led by Mike Vrabel, “almost wiped the slate clean” that he’s hit an even more salient point.
None of Strange (a 2021 first-round pick), Robinson (a 2024 fourth-rounder), or Sow (a 2023 fourth-rounder) could make the grade. All were displaced essentially by waiver-wire types during their brief Patriots’ careers, and now, they couldn’t even earn backup roles. It’s a sad commentary on the efficacy of the pre-Vrabel drafting of offensive linemen.
Mike Vrabel is putting his stamp on the Patriots’ offensive line
Mike Vrabel is not an NFL Head Coach or personnel evaluator to suffer fools or poor players.
This is Vrabel’s team, and it’s his players who’ll wear the silver and blue in 2025 and beyond.
Many of the old guard on the roster have already been cleared out, making way for new players.
These are hand-selected by Vrabel and his personnel team, headed by Ryan Cowden and John Streicher. Vrabel’s stamp is already on this team, and his offseason performance has been masterful. His offensive line was one of the two units that needed the most refurbishing (along with the wide receivers).
Vrabel began that job in earnest early on. He released long-time center David Andrews. He then added three veteran stop-gap offensive linemen in tackle Morgan Moses, center Garrett Bradbury, both of whom will start, and guard Wes Schweitzer (who’s since retired). Then he went to the draft.
His first round pick was for his starting left tackle, LSU’s Will Campbell. In the third round, he selected Georgia’s center/guard, Jared Wilson, who’ll likely start at guard his first season. And, lastly, he astutely doubled up on left tackles, selecting Missouri’s Marcus Bryant, another SEC left tackle. Bryant made the team. He’ll start at right tackle if Moses can’t go or be the top swing tackle.
Remnants from the previous regime include 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace, who’s likely a short-term solution, guard Mike Onwenu (who hasn’t been in shape since Wolf signed him to a substantial contract extension after the 2023 season), tackle Vederian Lowe, and waiver wire center Ben Brown.
Vrabel had few options, or all four (except maybe Brown) may have joined Strange and company. Expect most to be gone after 2025. Brent Sobleski was right that the Patriots’ cutting three offensive linemen almost simultaneously is an aberration. But it’s just part of an unfolding storyline that will likely see even more turnover from the 2024 O-line by next season. Just don’t be surprised.
