Mike Vrabel just walked back into Foxborough with a flamethrower and a mission. The Patriots? Loaded with cap space, nine draft picks, and the No. 4 overall pick. But here’s where it gets spicy—rumors flying, AJ Brown’s name is back in trade convos, and draft analysts are now begging Vrabel to ditch the “safe” pick at tackle. Will Campbell’s been the favorite for weeks… until a 320-pound wrecking ball from Michigan just crashed the party. And now? Patriots fans are sweating bullets over draft night chaos.
The New England Patriots began their offseason renovations with significant financial resources and numerous roster deficiencies. They immediately made a splash in free agency: a four-year, $104 million deal for DT Milton Williams (ex-Eagles), a trade for WR Stefon Diggs (four-time Pro Bowler), and the signing of edge rusher Harold Landry. Mike Vrabel’s return to the franchise where he won three Super Bowl rings sets the stage for his first season as head coach, thanks to all that firepower.
Nine NFL draft picks, highlighted by the number four pick, give Vrabel a great chance to quickly rebuild the New England team. “You can’t win and you can’t do what we want to do with just a bunch of good dudes. That’s not going to get it done,” Vrabel said. And that’s exactly why Trevor Sikkema is urging them to get the 320 lbs beast, Mason Graham.
“So we’ve talked about this before on a couple of mock draft episodes. Christian Barmore’s long-term availability for this team is something that I think you at least need to think. Perhaps, on their side of things, they’re totally good if there is, like, a hey, yeah. I mean, this might be something that he has to deal with in the future.” Then? “Mason Graham’s pick. I think you run that in for Mason Graham, because in the meantime, you would have Mason Graham, Christian barmore and Milton Williams to play on your team. That’s a crime, along with Harold Landry and Keion White. I mean like, that’s a pretty stout five guys that you would put out there.” They need power, not flash, and Michigan’s Mason Graham fits the bill. This powerful 6’3½”, 320-pound defensive lineman is a relentless force.
In 2024, Graham recorded 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and even a blocked kick. His accolades include First-Team All-American honors, a national championship, and Rose Bowl MVP. He didn’t just play in big games; he dominated them. Now comes the big question: why should Vrabel consider Graham? As he fits Vrabel’s vision perfectly, a key component to his defensive scheme. His wrestling background is evident in his powerful, tenacious style. Pairing him with Barmore and Williams creates a dominant New England defensive front capable of quickly overpowering the AFC East.
However, NFL Network’s top draft analyst, Daniel Jeremiah, offered insight Friday on the Patriots’ potential pick, revealing some interesting information. “It feels like [Travis] Hunter 2 and Abdul Carter 3. And then with the Patriots, I just have continually heard that offensive tackle was going to be addressed, and I’ve continually heard that, you know, that’s Will Campbell’s spot,” said Jeremiah.
Whispers and signals from within the building, months in the making, pointed to this. Yet, some fans worry about Campbell’s short arms—a historical red flag for first-round tackles. Jeremiah noted there’s no league-wide agreement on the top offensive tackles in this draft. “Teams are not universal in the slotting of these tackles,” he said. “In fact, I’ve talked to – in the last 24 hours, I’ve talked to three teams who aren’t in the range to take tackles so they can give me an honest answer of how they stack these guys. And I had one team that [had] Will Campbell at the top, I had one team that [had] Armand Membou at the top, and I had one team that [had] Kelvin Banks at the top.”
Despite the differing opinions, Jeremiah emphasized that the Patriots highly value Campbell. At 6’6″, 319 pounds, Campbell impressed at the NFL Combine. His 32⅝-inch arms are a concern, but the Patriots are betting on his other strengths. He faces stiff competition from Texas star Kelvin Banks—a 2024 award winner—and Missouri’s Armand Membou, who excelled at the combine. However, there’s another tweak in the Pats’ 2025.
Mike Vrabel’s team’s depth is seeing a major hit
Rumors spread fast, but trolls move faster. A.J. Brown ignited NFL trade rumors with a playful Instagram post. His cryptic message, hinting at a move, showed a Patriots #11 jersey, declaring, “The wait is finally over. Well, it’s finally official.” Briefly, fans believed he’d joined New England. The joke? He flipped the jersey, revealing a signed Julian Edelman gift. Brown chuckled, “I play too much. I have fun … Don’t take me serious,”
That prank blew up bigger than a New England blizzard. WEEI’s Nick “Fitzy” Stevens fell for it, announcing live that Philly wanted to trade with the Patriots for Abdul Carter, even suggesting Mike Vrabel might be involved in a huge deal. He insisted, “The Philadelphia Eagles really, really, really want Abdul Carter.” The rumor spread like wildfire. But the source? Highly questionable.
NFL insider Mike Fisher quickly debunked it: “So … no. There is no indication that a potential trade is in the works for Brown,” he stated, pointing out Brown’s recent Tom Brady jersey display as another misleading clue. Turns out, Brown’s Patriots gear is just part of his usual online shenanigans, not a sign of an impending trade. The Eagles aren’t trading their All-Pro receiver, it seems. The buzz is they want to move aggressively up the draft; if Abdul Carter is within reach, Howie Roseman could make a call. But as for Brown? That was just April Fool’s with overtime.
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