Mike Vrabel May Be Forced To Abandon Plans After Patriots Lose Christian Gonzalez for Week 1

New England spent all spring building a defense around its shutdown tandem…and then, on the Friday before kickoff, Mike Vrabel confirmed the worst: All-Pro CB Christian Gonzalez is OUT for Week 1 vs. the Raiders. And now, it might just force Vrabel to change everything he had planned for Las Vegas, as remarked by The Athletic.

Yes, that lingering hamstring injury is just now going away. It started in July, and we’re still talking about it in September. And that puts Mike Vrabel’s plans in the air. Vrabel and the Patriots built their defense around a simple “cat coverage” idea. Christian Gonzalez locks up one cat, big-ticket free-agent Carlton Davis III takes the other, and you line up to play grown-man football every snap. Vrabel even joked about it out loud in March, when he said, “Yeah, hopefully we can just play cat coverage, like I got this cat, you got this cat, and we can go to work.”

However, for now, according to The Athletic, “The Patriots built their defense to play a lot of man coverage, with Gonzalez against one wide receiver and high-priced free-agent addition Carlton Davis against the other. Without Gonzalez, however, the Pats may have to change plans.” Still, the head coach is happy to see his man working hard. “It just hasn’t gone — again, he’s working hard, and whether it’s — we can say one injury is going to be three to four weeks, one is going to be one to two. Everybody heals differently,” Mike Vrabel said. The Patriots didn’t move Gonzalez to injured reserve, which is a good sign. It means, at least for now, they don’t expect him to be sidelined four-plus games.

Then there’s the contract that told you how serious they were. Davis got three years, $54 million with $34.5 million guaranteed back in March. And Gonzalez is eligible for a contract extension. But with Gonzalez now ruled out, that whole blueprint gets tossed aside, at least for Week 1. And it stings even more because Gonzalez went off last season. He was second-team All-Pro and probably the brightest spot of a 4-13 season in Foxborough. He racked up 59 tackles, 11 pass breakups, two picks, and even a 63-yard fumble-return touchdown before missing the final week with a concussion. That’s the kind of production you build an entire coverage plan around.

Hence, the expectations and consequently, the pressure, were sky-high. So what’s next? Look for Carlton Davis to shadow the top outside weapon while New England leans heavier on zone, brackets, and rotations to keep everything in front. Vrabel even pointed to Alex Austin as the next man up, with Marcus Jones and rookie sixth-rounder D.J. James also waiting their turn. “Yeah. I think Alex will – Double A will play. I think Marcus [Jones] will play. Everybody’s got to be ready to go,” the HC noted.

So, all in all, that hard “two islands” philosophy is about to morph into something softer: more layers, more help, and a plan to make Geno Smith grind for every yard. Oh, and Gonzalez might not be the only man Vrabel would miss.

Will Campbell is doubtful for week 1 in Mike Vrabel’s team

Yes, LT Will Campbell‘s presence is doubtful ahead of the Raiders‘ game. That ankle situation is not ideal as of yet. That’s the blind-side protector for a second-year QB about to see Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ pass rush up close. If Campbell can’t suit up, expect the playbook to lean even heavier on quick throws, extra chips, and plenty of six-man protections.

That expectations part holds true for him as well. He is (or was) set to step in as the day-one starter at left tackle, lining up next to rookie Jared Wilson at left guard, with Garrett Bradbury at center, Morgan Moses on the right tackle, and the lone returning starter from 2024, Mike Onwenu, holding down right guard.

He’s not completely ruled out just yet. Getting even a limited practice rep helps his chances of being ready for Sunday, but depending on how serious the injury is, the staff could still take it slow with their prized top-five pick from this offseason. That decision entirely falls upon just how much Vrabel values his presence in the starting lineup.

If Campbell ends up missing Sunday’s game, last year’s starter Vederian Lowe could slide in to take those starting reps. Not too bad of a backup, if you’re wondering. He ranked 101st out of 140 qualifying tackles last year with a pass-blocking grade of 66.9, per PFF. Vrabel should probably not rush Campbell.