What Mike Vrabel said about his plan for developing Drake Maye
"Drake is going to be his own person, but I'm going to give him some things that I feel like are necessary to help us win football games."
Patriots
"Drake is going to be his own person, but I'm going to give him some things that I feel like are necessary to help us win football games."
Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel on Monday was introduced as the 16th head coach in franchise history. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
By Khari A. Thompson
January 13, 2025 | 5:05 PM
3 minutes to read
The opportunity to work with a young, talented quarterback was one of the factors that led Mike Vrabel back to New England.
Vrabel interviewed for other head coaching jobs, but he picked the Patriots. He had a lot of success as a player in New England, so it was a bit of a homecoming. Heâs familiar with the ownership group. And now, heâll have the opportunity to help Drake Maye live up to his potential.
The new Patriots coach was asked on Monday how he plans to develop Maye.
âPut great people around him,â Vrabel said. âWe have to. I would say that my involvement will be as it relates to game management and situational awareness and where we are on the football field and trying to develop him as a leader of the offense.â
Advertisement:
âWhen a quarterback, when they call the play, you want to say everybodyâs going to believe that itâs going to score a touchdown ⊠Drake is going to be his own person, but Iâm going to give him some things that I feel like are necessary to help us win football games. â
Upgrading the offensive line will among the top priorities for New England this offseason. Maye and Jacoby Brissett endured a combined 52 sacks last season.
 âI think that player acquisition, I think you look at whatâs available in free agency and what you can â feel like you can sign and then see where you come out of that,â Vrabel said. âCertainly, you look at the teams that are able to protect the quarterback and dictate the flow of the game offensively, making sure that up front weâre sound, weâre strong, whether thatâs through free agency or the draft, thatâs something thatâs critical.â
Advertisement:
âThe D-linemen, theyâre getting better every year,â he added. âTheyâre getting more disruptive. Theyâre getting bigger, more powerful. So as they try to disrupt our quarterback, we have to have some things that counterbalance that.â
Maye will also need weapons to throw to. None of the Patriotsâ receivers topped 700 yards last season. Hunter Henry has been a reliable target at tight end. DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte have showed flashes of potential. But, as a whole, the unit wasnât very productive last season.
Changing personnel will only be part of the solution, Vrabel said. He said he plans to implement an aggressive, but not reckless style.
âObviously personnel is the first way,â he said. âAnd then scheme and style and tempo and cadence and all those things that, if our players can handle it, then weâll shift, weâll motion, weâll go with different cadences, weâll go on the ball and try to do all those things that cause conflict.
âBut itâs going to not be at the expense of the players. If the players can only handle a certain amount, then thatâs what weâre going to do, and weâre going to get really good at it.â
Offensive coordinators play a leading role in shaping the offensive scheme and style of a football team. ESPNâs Jeremy Fowler said that Josh McDaniels could be a prime candidate to join Vrabelâs staff. The Athletic also listed McDaniels, along with Nick Caley, Josh McCown, Tim Kelly, Charles London, and Tommy Rees as top candidates. The Patriots have yet to say whether or not Alex Van Pelt will stay on.
Advertisement:
McDaniels won six Super Bowls as an assistant under Bill Belichick and left the Patriots twice to pursue head coaching opportunities elsewhere.
Caley, a former Patriots tight-ends coach who works for the Rams in the same capacity, interviewed for the opening last year.
McCown, a former NFL quarterback and current Vikings quarterbacks coach, worked with Maye when Maye was in high school and Maye said he is close friends with McCownâs two sons.
Kelly and London worked with Vrabel in Tennessee. Kelly, now a tight-ends coach with the Giants, was the Titansâ offensive coordinator in 2023. London was the pass-game coordinator that season.
Vrabel said heâs looking for efficiency, versatility, and creativity in his offense.
âWe have to be a very efficient passing football team,â Vrabel said. âWhen you look at statistically what wins in the National Football League, our ability to affect the other teamâs quarterback and our ability to provide for an efficient quarterback and passing game is a high contributor to success.
âThereâs a lot of ways to do that â by protecting the middle of the pocket and all those things that weâre going to talk about as we move forward,â he added. âBut how we protect the football, how weâre aggressive but not reckless, understanding where we are in the game and the situational awareness that I feel like Iâve developed over six years and then my past year in Cleveland.â`
Sign up for Patriots updates????
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season.
Submit your email Enter your email address