Mike Vrabel’s first offseason with the Patriots felt like watching a master at work. After the train wreck of 2024, where every move seemed to backfire, Vrabel stepped in and fixed things fast. He plugged holes, made smart signings, and turned the roster into something that looks like an NFL team. It’s the kind of turnaround that has fans believing again after last year’s disaster. But even the smoothest rebuilds hit speed bumps, and Vrabel might be approaching his first real test. Because, while the roster looks stronger on paper, there are whispers about tough decisions looming in the front office.

Those whispers just got louder, and they come with a $41M price tag. As the Patriots finalize their roster, three contracts stand out like boldfaced numbers on an unbalanced ledger. Tackle Mike Onwenu‘s $21 million cap hit weighs heaviest, followed by Safety Kyle Dugger‘s $15.2 million and RB Rhamondre Stevenson‘s $5.5 million. Together, they account for a whopping estimate of $41 million ($41.7M to be precise) in cap hits this season. A number that could force Mike Vrabel’s hand before roster deadlines loom.

The numbers tell one story, but the tape tells another. As NFL insider Tom E. Curran noted on WEEI’s Sports Original podcast, “The only three that I would look at would be all of whom were re-signed last year. And this is not saying that they would. But the only logic of doing that would be to escape massive cap hits.” 

41 million is a lot of money tied up in three players, especially when performance hasn’t always matched the price tag. “Does it make sense to trade Mike Onwenu?” Curran pondered. “He has such a ridiculously high cap hit… and next year’s is even more.” Stevenson, meanwhile, has a deal “he hasn’t played to,” and Dugger’s contract ranks second-highest on the roster.

But here’s the catch – these aren’t just expendable pieces. “All three of those guys, I think, are good, solid players,” Curran admitted. “Maybe somewhat overpaid in each instance, but if you’re going to be good, you need good players. You don’t want to get rid of what you presume to be good players.”

That’s the tightrope Vrabel and the Patriots must walk.

Mike Vrabel’s countdown to cap decisions

As the roster deadline looms, Mike Vrabel finds himself staring at a ticking clock and three contracts that could make or break New England’s financial flexibility. This isn’t just about talent evaluation. It’s a race against the calendar that will test the new regime’s willingness to make tough calls.

Mike Onwenu’s journey with the Patriots tells the story of every late-round dream. Since being scooped up in the sixth round back in 2020, the versatile lineman has been New England’s Swiss Army knife, bouncing between guard and tackle positions while delivering Pro Bowl-worthy performances. That reliability earned him a hefty $57 million payday last offseason. But now his $21 million cap hit stings as the Patriots weigh whether a jack-of-all-trades is worth master-of-none money.

Then there’s Kyle Dugger, the hard-hitting safety who’s been patrolling New England’s secondary since his 2020 second-round selection. After playing on the transition tag last year, the Patriots committed $58 million to keep their defensive leader. Only to watch injuries limit him to just 13 games, while his performance grades plummeted. At $15.2 million against the cap, that contract already looks like an anchor.

The most puzzling case might be Rhamondre Stevenson. The 2021 fourth-rounder flashed star potential early, convincing New England to lock him up with a $36 million extension last summer. But after fumbling issues, they got him benched in 2024. And with exciting rookie TreVeyon Henderson now in the mix, Stevenson’s $5.5 million cap hit feels like dead weight for a back who may have lost his starting job. “The Patriots don’t really have an obvious contract problem,” The Athletic’s Chad Graff observed, “but Stevenson’s extension already looks foolish after his struggles.” 

Now Vrabel faces the brutal math. $41.7 million tied up in three veterans who haven’t lived up to their new deals. Do the Patriots ride it out, hoping for a bounce-back season? Or make the tough business decision to move on before the roster deadline? For a new regime preaching fiscal responsibility, these calls could define their first real offseason.