The Patriots’ preseason began with promise. A revived fan base. A statement win over Washington in joint practices followed by their 48-18 victory in the preseason opener. QB Drake Maye showed flashes. HC Mike Vrabel’s message of “effort and finish” rang loud, rekindling optimism. But as August wore on, cracks reappeared. The defense wavered. Depth was exposed. And the ghosts of a failed draft class lingered at the back of every conversation. By the time New England limped out of the preseason finale loss to the Giants’ backups, the picture was unavoidable. Vrabel, for all his steady presence, can’t quite erase the damage left behind from Jerod Mayo’s short-lived tenure.

The most glaring reminder of that damage sits on the roster bubble. With cuts looming, one bleak reality stands out: Drake Maye may be the only survivor of the 2024 draft class, a class orchestrated during Mayo’s regime. And for Vrabel’s mission of galvanization, which he professed back in January, he now has to act fast. 

Guard Layden Robinson and tackle Caeden Wallace have struggled to establish a meaningful foothold. Wideout Javon Baker hovered on the bubble. Ja’Lynn Polk, once a promising second-rounder, might be done for the year after a shoulder surgery. Corner Marcellas Dial Jr. tore his ACL before ever making a preseason impression. The last round swings of old (Joe Milton III and Jaheim Bell) have all gone differently this offseason. That’s nearly an entire draft class wiped away in one season. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss noted, “A team having its draft class almost entirely wiped out after one year is almost unheard of.” For a franchise that once prided itself on reloading through the draft during Bill Belichick’s dynasty years, this is a gut punch that exposes just how thin the roster has become.

Vrabel isn’t hiding from it. After a sloppy close to the preseason, he admitted, “We’re so far from being where we need to be. I’m really trying to get that message across, stringing one good day together, and putting another day together.” But the weight of Mayo’s draft class mistake leaves little margin for error. Without the 2024 class, depth is a constant gamble. The Patriots will be reliant on starters staying healthy and rookies from 2025 stepping in earlier than expected. The rebuilding project will take more than Vrabel’s grit and that mission of galvanization he professed back in January: “I want to galvanize our football team. I want to galvanize this building… to galvanize our fans.” But that mission will take years of sound personnel work to undo a squandered draft that should have formed the backbone of today’s depth chart.

The Pats have consistently found themselves regretting their draft choices in the past years. 2006’s Laurence Maroney (first-round) and Chad Jackson (second-round) remain as stark reminders of what wrong draft choices can do to a team. 2019’s N’Keal Harry became widely known as “the final nail in the coffin” for Tom Brady’s Patriots era. That’s why Vrabel’s challenge is bigger than just getting Maye comfortable as a rookie starter. It’s about resetting the foundation after watching so many gambles evaporate in less than 12 months. The Patriots, once a machine built on continuity, now feel like a roster stitched together mid-stride. And just as he works to stabilize the roster as large, Vrabel must now address quarterback insurance.

Mike Vrabel’s next call: QB3 loading?

After waiving UDFA Ben Wooldridge, the Pats are committed to carrying a third quarterback, whether on the 53-man roster or practice squad. It’s a subtle but telling move. Vrabel admitted the obvious after New England’s preseason finale, where Giants backup Tommy DeVito carved up the Pats’ reserves, going 17-of-20 for 198 yards and three touchdowns. As Vrabel put it, “We’re there at two. We’ll decide about who is and if we plan about carrying a third quarterback on the 53 or on the practice squad.” DeVito could be one of several possible candidates if the Giants stick with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart.

After that game, DeVito himself hinted that his performance doubled as an audition for the rest of the league. “Any time you go out on the field, no matter where you are – especially being undrafted – you’re performing for all 31 other organizations as well.” Whether it’s DeVito or someone else, the Patriots’ QB room question holds weight beyond just depth. Maye might be the only real ‘hit’ from Mayo’s draft, and protecting that investment demands serious foresight. Having a capable QB3 would help them weather injury waves, and also insulate Maye from being overexposed if the season spirals.

Vrabel has galvanized the building. He’s sparked hope. But the 2025 story for the Pats won’t just be about the ascension of Drake Maye or Mike Vrabel’s fiery presence. It’s the residue of one wasted year under Jerod Mayo. A year that stripped the roster of its pipeline talent and forced the team into catch-up mode. The coming weeks will test just how fast Vrabel can patch the cracks, from salvaging the offensive line to placing the right safety nets around his quarterback.