Vrabel's Staff Discussion Thread (Discuss related news here)

[Huckleberry1]

Maye has already learned multiple offenses in his career between college and the NFL. I don’t think having to learn Josh’s scheme is going to break him. He’s extremely smart.

Then what happens when MacDaniels leaves? There are only 3 team that run E-P anymore, which gives you 3 OC’s you can possibly hire to replace him. Or change offenses again, which is a terrible idea. All of the great QB’s learned one offense and mastered it. Brady 1 system,Marino 1 system Mahomes1system, Montana1system, Elway 1-system, the list is long, none of them were jerked from system to system. The language is different, the reads are different, the blocking assignments are different. It’s a big deal.

 

[PatsFan2]

Very intrigued to see who he brings in as his Husband OC.

 

[DarrylS]

I'm fine with McD as long as he makes a firm commitment to stay for at least 3 years, we have witnessed the debacle in NY as they change their OC's quickly and the resulting damage to emerging QB's in their system see Gino Smith and Sam Darnold..
With Vrabel and whoever he chooses in key positions need commitment to and stability of that position if we are to return to prominence..
The primary concern is to have an OC that can capitalize on Maye's strengths so he can continue to develop in a consistent system..

 

[Water Boy]

Polk sucks.

I'm so done with the Patriots picking the dregs in a loaded WR draft class.

 

[AQPE]

i just know winwood, dave mason and jim capaldi from traffic. dave mason does a great all along the watchtower. loved winwood in the spencer davis group. he was like 14 years old. he was around 16 when he did gimme some lovin' and i'm a man. he did not sound like a 16 yr old white kid.

I read once that Mason was the one that got Hendrix interested in All Along the Watchtower, playing the Dylan version and then his own take on it for Jimi.

 

[Real fan 02]

I think it is critical that Vrabel's personnel guy gets precedence over the Krafts' lapdog/binky Eliot Wolf. Not to do so is just asking for trouble, in part because Wolf is incompetent, in part because he is a backbiting stab-in-the-back punk. I really hope Vrabel refuses this arrangement. If he does not, that will be his first mistake as HC and a lousy place to start. If Wolf is forced upon him, it will be a continuation of the Krafts' butting in where they have no competence whatever. Given his experience at Tennessee having a GM forced upon him, I would find Vrabel's agreeing to this to be inexplicable, frankly.

The cleanest and wisest course of action would be to kick Wolf to the curb, but apparently he too must have charmed Robert on some vacation trip.

I think he does. Listening on sports talk radio yesterday that was the huge determining factor in Vrabel taking the job as he had issues with the GM in Tennessee. To me this feels so erily familiar to when BB took over and brung polio then eventually Bobby Greer was fired.

 

[Real fan 02]

Didn’t he incorporate parts of other offensive systems into the Patriots playbook? I know he used different OL blocking schemes.

I looked into McDaniels system. It allows change to fit the QB. For those opposing McDaniels I think it's a bit premature. If he were to come back as OC I personally entrust his knowledge as a Offensive guru and QB groomer. We need veteran coaches and McDaniels fits Bill IMO. McDaniels has never had a QB with the athletic ability that Drake has.

 

[Water Boy]

I think it is critical that Vrabel's personnel guy gets precedence over the Krafts' lapdog/binky Eliot Wolf. Not to do so is just asking for trouble, in part because Wolf is incompetent, in part because he is a backbiting stab-in-the-back punk. I really hope Vrabel refuses this arrangement. If he does not, that will be his first mistake as HC and a lousy place to start. If Wolf is forced upon him, it will be a continuation of the Krafts' butting in where they have no competence whatever. Given his experience at Tennessee having a GM forced upon him, I would find Vrabel's agreeing to this to be inexplicable, frankly.

The cleanest and wisest course of action would be to kick Wolf to the curb, but apparently he too must have charmed Robert on some vacation trip.

From what I've heard, Wolf is an extremely nice guy and he tried to be too collaborative. Based on personality types I'm pretty confident that Vrabel will be the alpha when it comes to final say.

Wolf wiffed on Polk. I think he thought he had his slot receiver in DD. I think coaching or lack thereof might of played a role in Polk and Baker not developing.

I didn't mind his Draft strategy from a positional standpoint this past draft. We were so depleted at key positions he couldn't take a BPA approach. Drafting Milton was a great move. I'm sure there are a number of GMs kicking themselves.

The contracts he signed are certainly worth a second guess. I heard his strategy is to acquire good players and adapt the system around them vs fit.

I'm more curious about Groh and his future.

 

[Real fan 02]

From what I've heard, Wolf is an extremely nice guy and he tried to be too collaborative. Based on personality types I'm pretty confident that Vrabel will be the alpha when it comes to final say.

Wolf wiffed on Polk. I think he thought he had his slot receiver in DD. I think coaching or lack thereof might of played a role in Polk and Baker not developing.

I didn't mind his Draft strategy from a positional standpoint this past draft. We were so depleted at key positions he couldn't take a BPA approach. Drafting Milton was a great move. I'm sure there are a number of GMs kicking themselves.

The contracts he signed are certainly worth a second guess. I heard his strategy is to acquire good players and adapt the system around them vs fit.

I'm more curious about Groh and his future.

I think wolf in all fairness is a smart guy. I absolutely wouldn't mind him having input on players but I'd want Vrabel having final say as it should be. Your right be it injuries or illness or off field things we just didn't have the cohesion like in week 1 the rest of the way. From what I've heard glaser and even bill mentioned it as well had some meddling with things past few seasons as well. The main thing from here is getting the OC for Drake and surrounding him with play makers. We do that and we could be where Washington is this time next season or close to it.

 

[amfootball]

I think wolf in all fairness is a smart guy. I absolutely wouldn't mind him having input on players but I'd want Vrabel having final say as it should be. Your right be it injuries or illness or off field things we just didn't have the cohesion like in week 1 the rest of the way. From what I've heard glaser and even bill mentioned it as well had some meddling with things past few seasons as well. The main thing from here is getting the OC for Drake and surrounding him with play makers. We do that and we could be where Washington is this time next season or close to it.

Vrabel would not have taken the job if he did not feel he could work well with Wolf. IMO it will be a collaboration.

 

[Real fan 02]

Vrabel would not have taken the job if he did not feel he could work well with Wolf. IMO it will be a collaboration.

Yes. Collaboration only works when everyone is on the same page. I believe Vrabel can work with wolf, as Vrabel also brought in his own guy..

 

[Huckleberry1]

Wasn't much of what Brady did with Josh as OC have a lot of West Coast based principles and schemes in it? Montana was Brady's Idol. And Montana was a mostly West Coast Offense QB. Josh used a bit of a few systems, including West Coast. I have a hard time believing that Josh can't tailor an Offense to Maye's current strength's, and then alter it as Maye grows beyond what he can currently do. I'm not all-in with Josh as OC. But I don't believe he'll hurt or hinder Maye's development.

I have never seen anything that said that MacDaniels incorporated the west coast offense into the E-P offense.

 

[Kasmir]

I like the idea of bringing McD back. No wat he’s getting another coaching opportunity anytime soon so that would give Drake some stability on the offensive philosophy for years to come.

I agree that McD isn't like to get another NFL HC opportunity, but he might decide to go the Belichick way and accept a college HC position.

 

[Huckleberry1]

From what I've heard, Wolf is an extremely nice guy and he tried to be too collaborative. Based on personality types I'm pretty confident that Vrabel will be the alpha when it comes to final say.

Wolf wiffed on Polk. I think he thought he had his slot receiver in DD. I think coaching or lack thereof might of played a role in Polk and Baker not developing.

I didn't mind his Draft strategy from a positional standpoint this past draft. We were so depleted at key positions he couldn't take a BPA approach. Drafting Milton was a great move. I'm sure there are a number of GMs kicking themselves.

The contracts he signed are certainly worth a second guess. I heard his strategy is to acquire good players and adapt the system around them vs fit.

I'm more curious about Groh and his future.

I agree with both of the primary points here. Regardless of title I think Vrabel will have the final say on free agents and draft picks. I think Wolf will have input, but his primary role will become getting contracts done. I don’t have a problem with that structure because if you have a coach you can trust to make good decisions they should be the ones picking the groceries. And unlike the Belichick sycophants, who have had knives out for Wolf since the day Belichick was fired, I will give Vrabel’s choices more than 6 games to prove they can contribute.

 

[PatsFan2]

I agree with both of the primary points here. Regardless of title I think Vrabel will have the final say on free agents and draft picks. I think Wolf will have input, but his primary role will become getting contracts done. I don’t have a problem with that structure because if you have a coach you can trust to make good decisions they should be the ones picking the groceries. And unlike the Belichick sycophants, who have had knives out for Wolf since the day Belichick was fired, I will give Vrabel’s choices more than 6 games to prove they can contribute.

Vrabel Teams had very good Drafts in Tennessee... glad he brought that guy along with him.

 

[yukon cornelius]

Wolf wiffed on Polk. I think he thought he had his slot receiver in DD. I think coaching or lack thereof might of played a role in Polk and Baker not developing.

considering we've seen little development out of DD in terms of route running & reads/recognition, and we say nothing from baker & polk, except maybe regression, I'd say the coaching was a huge issue with the WRs

 

[RobertWeathers]

I’m sure there are many. All of them had to learn a new offense their first year.

Are you honestly telling me the best thing for maye is to keep being coached by a terrible coach because more bad coaching is better than good coaching?

No. I'm saying keep the system.

I've said nothing about keeping AVP.

 

[Ross12]

Then what happens when MacDaniels leaves? There are only 3 team that run E-P anymore, which gives you 3 OC’s you can possibly hire to replace him. Or change offenses again, which is a terrible idea. All of the great QB’s learned one offense and mastered it. Brady 1 system,Marino 1 system Mahomes1system, Montana1system, Elway 1-system, the list is long, none of them were jerked from system to system. The language is different, the reads are different, the blocking assignments are different. It’s a big deal.

The point of hiring McDaniels, who has failed as an HC multiple times, won’t leave.

 

[Ross12]

considering we've seen little development out of DD in terms of route running & reads/recognition, and we say nothing from baker & polk, except maybe regression, I'd say the coaching was a huge issue with the WRs

Douglas is a good point - he regressed from 2023 to 2024. Bourne also looked worse even if some of that is likely due to injury rust.

 

[NashuaPats]

I agree that McD isn't like to get another NFL HC opportunity, but he might decide to go the Belichick way and accept a college HC position.

Even college teams should be wary of him considering he was losing both players and coaches. I don’t remember it ever being a problem for him as an OC, but he was absolutely a disaster as head coach. Some guys aren’t cut out to be the one in charge, but have great long careers as a coordinator.

I think people are making too big of a deal about the EP system. As I understand it, it’s a communication system. Yes, the offense was extremely complicated with Brady, but that was playing to Brady’s strengths and evolved over time. Brady’s ability to process a defense and to do it so quickly was probably unmatched in league history. McDaniels simplified things for Cam and to a lesser degree for Mac.