TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Post Patriots Roster Cut Press Conference 8/27
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Here’s what Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say the day after New England’s 2025 roster cutdowns on Wednesday, 8/27, 2025:
On the fact there are moving parts still, but how he feels about the roster:
“Well, I mean, again, you’re correct in saying that there are some moving parts. I feel great about where we’re at, but we’ll continue to look for ways to improve and what we feel like from a personnel standpoint, but also looking for ways to improve on the field. Today will be an important day for us, just getting started here with the Raiders and the show team process and all that, and trying to get the looks that we need to try to begin the game planning, practice, and some of that stuff.”
On if there any spots he can be comfortable saying that they really want to target to try and look at:
“No, I don’t think that you really set out … You just try to focus on adding good players to your football team and whatever role that you envision for them and kind of go from there. I feel like we’ve improved through training camp and they need to continue to improve through this process of preparing to win and then also continuing to target players, whether that’s today and the next few days as players become available.”
On Tommy DeVito being awarded on waivers and what he brings:
“Well, again, I think that we’ll confirm all those things later on. We put a claim in for a couple of guys, and I would say that just strengthening in a roster, certainly at a premium position, and continuing to add pieces, whether that’s offensively or defensively, or guys that we feel like can help on special teams.”
How much would somebody like Ryan [Cowden’s] insight be valued with a player like that having overlappedwith him in New York:
“What insight?”
Sorry. So Tommy DeVito, then Ryan Cowden both with the Giants:
“Oh, yeah. I didn’t know what you said after the… Well, I mean, we’ve had coaches and personnel people throughout the league at different spots. Whether that be me or stretch or coaches or Ryan or anybody. I think that’s just one part of the evaluation. Having some working knowledge of what the player’s done in the building, how are they day to day, and we can all watch the performance and see what it looks like on the film, but the practice, the habits, how they are in the building, and how they prepare, and did they improve? I think those are some insights, whether it’s this particular instance or if it’s just somebody else that we’re trying to target. So I think that that can always help. It wasn’t the main factor in this decision.”
[Inaudible … On what Josh Dobbs has given him:]
“Yeah. And again, Josh has settled down in the games. I think that there’s been some mistakes, whether that was joint practice or practice, and we’re all going to have mistakes, and then being able to settle down in the games and perform and operate. Again, each move that we’ll make may not be an indication of what the players are at that position. I think it’s just looking to strengthen the overall roster construction.”
On how valuable and important the practice squad has become as it’s evolved over the years:
“We were laughing the other day when it was 53 players and five guys on the practice squad, and we actually practiced and functioned. Now, we have probably we’ll have 70, and we’ll be wondering how we can practice with that many players. So what it’s given you, it’s given you a good blend of having some veterans that may be able to go in right away and be elevated. It also gives you an opportunity to develop some younger players, which you’ll see when that list comes out. So you’ll be able to kind of recognize both of those who you may need some more time and want to invest some more time into them or a veteran that’s played in this league and would be ready to go if we needed to elevate them.”
On Bradyn Swinson, just given the draft status of the fifth founder, what camp did he have and if he’s someone that we’ll see on that practice squad:
“Again, that’ll be out at 4:00 pm. There’s always tough decisions that we have to make. We have to do what’s in the best interest of the football team. That’s why you practice. There’s a competition, and there’s games to evaluate and see how they respond. That Practice Squad list will be out at 4:00, and it’ll continue to, I think, change over the course of not only the next few days, but probably the season.”
On them going with Andy [Borregales] as the kicker and his perspective on how that kicking competition played out over the summer:
“I thought it was competitive. I thought Parker really improved from the spring to the summer. I think just the entire body of work, we felt like Andy was going to be our kicker. And again, I appreciate Parker’s competitiveness and how he worked, and I wish him well. Those are always difficult decisions. And again, we’re going to do everything we can to support Andy, and then he knows he’s got to make them. That’s the job of the kicker. You got to make them. And I expect that he will.”
On the fact he mentioned Josh Dobbs settling down a little bit when he got to the game, clean some things up and the fact Drake Maye said recently he’s got to settle down early in the game and if he helps him with the strategy:
“Well, I mean I think that you have to, again, you have to prepare. Each player prepares differently for that game, and what your emotion level is going into that game, and how it starts. I think that there’s always something to be said for getting into a rhythm. We can’t throw a bunch of two-yard routes to start the game, but I think that it’s just getting into a rhythm and a flow, and the warm-up, how guys warm up. Some guys go and warm up a few hours before the game, come back in, settle down. Some guys kind of just roll on out there, but it’s all about finding your own individual routine that will allow each and every one of them to perform at a high level when we start the game. We can’t wait to the second quarter to feel comfortable.”
On the fact he’s talked about how difficult it can be to release guys, given that news. But on the flip side of that, how about some of the guys, [Efton] Chism], Marcus Bryant, telling them that they’ve made the team, and how rewarding that is for him:
“Well, I don’t think that that makes it any better with the players that you have to release. It all comes to some players at different times, and everybody’s got a little different journey into this league and how they make it. Some guys go through the practice squad, and some guys go on multiple teams, and some guys are undrafted and make it. I think the most important thing is that we earn the right to be here every day and earn the right and to provide value every day.
On understanding this as year one of his program, how did he balance, if at all, picking the best 53 versus the best 53 maybe in the longer term:
“Those are just things that you try to figure out how you … we got to go win games, and then we have to build and try to develop players and strengthen the roster and just try to have a vision for guys. Not that that’s always going to be perfect, but you have to try to have some idea of what they’re going to be and what they’re going to do for us. So, I think that was just the balance that we tried to wage and figure out where we can have guys who would be on the… We got to get down to 48 for the game where it be some guys that are inactive and who can do multiple roles, who do you trust out there, but also they have to have a level of ability to go and perform as well. Special teams plays a factor into it in multiple positions. Some position flex plays a part in it as well.”
On how does he determine whether to grant that release or say, ‘too bad’:
“I don’t know who you’re referring to, I guess, specifically.”
[Marcus] Epps and [Kendrick] Bourne [requested their releases]:
“Yeah, that’s news to me. I think that we just, again, try to put the roster together. I guess when it doesn’t work out, you break up with somebody, your girlfriend doesn’t want to be with you, and then you say, ‘Well, I don’t want to be with you either.’ I’m not going to get into all that.”
So was that-
“I just said, I’m not going to get into it. It was just like, you know what I mean? We’re not going to go back and forth here. We’re trying to build a roster. Got to move on from some guys. You make connections with guys. You coach them. They earn opportunities. They get more opportunities. They take advantage of them. And that’s kind of how these things go.”
On Kyle Dugger and why is he still a good fit for this roster:
“Because I think he’s feeling better. Thought he had some really good snaps against New York. I think he can help us and obviously find a role, talked to him about that, have talked to him about that. Will continue to talk to him about that and provide value to the football team.”
On a similar point with Anthony Jennings, if he won his spot by some of his performances later in camp for the preseason:
“I think … He wasn’t able to play in the last game, but where we were as of now, I thought he, through his practice and through his performance in the games and the way that he competed, has earned the right to be here. He’ll have to continue to do that just like everybody else will.”
On how he felt about the flow of information yesterday, and if there were any “rodent” issues:
“I just tried to let you guys know whatever’s going on, when I can can figure it out. And again, especially when it relates to a player’s health. You know what I mean? That’s their body, that’s their, whatever they’re dealing with. I think some of the injury stuff gets overblown, but it is just an effect to try to… Again, I’m trying to protect the player. Having been one or whether you’re dealing with some sort of injury or whatever it may be, I’m always trying to be respectful of their health and different things like that.”
On if there’s anything he can say about Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce’s] engagement
“I probably have a few thoughts, none that I’m going to share right now. No. Should be an interesting wedding, you know? Maybe it’s in Nashville, maybe it’s a destination wedding. I’m not sure. But it should be a fun one if we get invited.”
On if he has any shot of getting invited:
“No, no shot. I doubt it.”
(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)
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