FOXBOROUGH — The Mike Vrabel era could not have gotten off to a better start, and the excitement around the Patriots is palpable.
The roster is significantly improved following a free agency spending spree. The new coaching staff is experienced and credible. Training camp has been quiet and productive. The Patriots crushed the Commanders in the preseason opener, 48-18.
And yet.
Not to be a fly in the ointment, but the preseason means almost nothing. The 2007 Patriots went 2-2 before going 16-0, and the 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns went 4-0 before going 0-16.
And while the Patriots should be improved from the 4-13 record of the last two seasons, trouble still lurks. Injuries, of course, can ruin any team’s season, but beyond that, the Patriots still have major questions that could leave them closer to the No. 1 draft pick than the playoffs.
Such as …
What if Drake Maye doesn’t cut down on his turnovers? Most observers were impressed with Maye’s rookie season, when he displayed impressive dual-threat ability despite having little help from teammates and coaches.
Maye also benefited from low expectations. He only won one game from start to finish — 19-3 over the Bears in Week 10 — and in 13 games he committed 16 giveaways, tied for fourth most among quarterbacks. But while Kirk Cousins committed 18 turnovers in 913 snaps, and C.J. Stroud had 16 in 1,034 snaps, Maye committed his in just 681 — a turnover rate on par with Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, Jameis Winston, and Gardner Minshew.
Last year was good experience, but the Patriots need smarter football. It’s probably why Vrabel was so displeased with Maye’s sloppy fumble in Friday’s preseason opener and called him out on the WBZ halftime interview.
What if the offensive line isn’t fixed? The Patriots sunk heavy resources into the offensive line after finishing 32nd in pass-block win rate in 2024. They signed veteran right tackle Morgan Moses for $24 million over three years ($11 million guaranteed). They signed center Garrett Bradbury from the Vikings. They drafted left tackle Will Campbell in the first round, and guard/center Jared Wilson in the third round.
But added resources don’t necessarily mean the line is improved. Moses, 34, has battled injuries and the heat this training camp and has struggled to finish practice. Bradbury, 30, was released by the Vikings after six seasons and was Pro Football Focus’s 33rd-ranked center in 2024. And Maye will have two rookies protecting his blind side with Campbell at left tackle and Wilson at left guard. The additions might amount to reshuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.
What if Campbell can’t play left tackle? He was terrific for three years at LSU, and held his own against the Commanders. But the questions about his arm length are real. Campbell’s 33-inch arms are on the smaller side, but the real issue is in his shoulders — Campbell’s 77⅜-inch wingspan made him the narrowest tackle to be measured at the NFL Combine since at least 1999.
Campbell may be able to overcome his arm length with quick feet, strong hands, and great technique. But we won’t know until several months into the regular season if he’s better suited for guard.
What if the Patriots still don’t have enough at wide receiver? As with the offensive line, the Patriots made several moves at wide receiver, signing Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency and drafting Kyle Williams in the third round. As with the offensive line, just because there are new bodies doesn’t mean the receiver room is improved.
Diggs might be a game-changing acquisition … or a shell of his former self after coming off a torn ACL. Hollins might be a 6-foot-4-inch red-zone threat … or a guy who has had more than 400 yards just once in eight NFL seasons. Williams might be a deep threat … or another in a long line of Patriots busts at receiver.
DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne — all decent receivers, none of them proven game-breakers. The Patriots ranked 31st in offensive touchdowns from 2023-24 (54) and didn’t have any receivers who could win one-on-one matchups. They look better on paper, but still have a lot to prove.
What if the coaching staff isn’t on the same page? So far, the coaches say how fun it has been to blend ideas from their different backgrounds and build a new offense together.
But no one on staff has worked for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels before. No coach is familiar with his scheme — including Vrabel, who has spent more time with the offense in camp so he can learn it.
Most of the coaches are also new to each other — the wide receivers coach, running backs coach, and assistant offensive line coach worked for Vrabel in Tennessee; quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant was in Cleveland with Vrabel last year; and offensive line coach Doug Marrone and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown are new to everyone.
McDaniels is used to having familiar faces on staff — Dante Scarnecchia, Ivan Fears, Nick Caley, Brian Daboll. This year, will the lack of familiarity hamper their ability to communicate and fix problems? Will they stay cohesive when the bleep hits the fan during a three-game losing streak? Time will tell.
What if the front office splinters? The front office also has some arranged marriages. The Krafts kept Eliot Wolf as executive vice president of player personnel, and he is definitely in charge. But Vrabel was allowed to bring in his own No. 2, Ryan Cowden, his former lieutenant in Tennessee. And Matt Groh is still around as a Bill Belichick holdover.
They have all made it work so far. But what if they disagree on a player evaluation? What if they view the team’s needs differently?
Vrabel’s tenure went sideways in Tennessee because he wasn’t always aligned with the front office. The Patriots’ setup in 2025 has the potential for some dysfunction.
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.