The scoreboard might have shown a 20-12 win for the New England Patriots over the Minnesota Vikings, but the numbers don’t tell the full story. For a coach stepping into his first season at the helm, it wasn’t the kind of “job done” moment Mike Vrabel could hang his hat on. Instead, it left him staring at bigger roster questions with September creeping closer.

“I think just when it’s clear, there’s not a timeline,” Vrabel said of his offensive linemen following the win. “But I think that when it becomes clear, and it didn’t before, and I don’t think it has yet now. So, we will still keep working and trying to get the best group in there and then get guys that are versatile and can help us behind them — because very rarely are you going to play the same five throughout a 17-game season and hopefully whatever comes after that.” That statement summed up just how uncertain the trenches remain for New England.

The most glaring moment came when Garrett Bradbury, the veteran center Vrabel hoped would steady the interior, got manhandled. According to The Athletic, a Vikings rookie fifth-rounder shoved Bradbury several yards into the backfield in the first quarter. That single play spotlighted the same issues that plagued him in Minnesota—struggles against pure power. For QB Drake Maye, it’s the last thing he wants to see—his protection having a tough day.

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On top of that, Vrabel doesn’t exactly have a better safety net waiting on the bench. Ben Brown, Cole Strange, and Jared Wilson are primarily working at guard, which leaves Bradbury as the only true center option. Yes, he can move well in the run game, but that won’t mask the fact that he’s prone to surrendering interior pressure. After six seasons with the Vikings, Bradbury signed a two-year deal with the Patriots this offseason, but one week in, it already feels like a gamble New England must live with.

However, Bradbury himself doesn’t sound shaken. In fact, just a few days ago, he gave Vrabel credit for changing his perspective. “I had (Mike) Zimmer and Kevin O’Connell, and that’s kind of all I’ve seen. So now with (Mike) Vrabel, I have a decent perspective on what I think works. And I think what he’s doing is going to work.” That optimism is good for the locker room, even if the tape shows he has a lot more adapting to do. Being pushed by a rookie doesn’t paint a good picture for Bradbury. However, he isn’t the only one who struggled during the game.

Vrabel faces a tough test against Drake Maye’s go-to target

Just like Bradbury, Drake Maye’s shiny new weapon, wideout Javon Baker, had a not-so-good day. He sure flashed here and there, but didn’t exactly steal the show. As The Athletic put it bluntly, “Baker on Saturday was… fine. A false start in the red zone followed by a missed out-route catch had coaches frowning.” Sure, he redeemed himself with a slick sideline grab in the fourth, but the inconsistency left plenty to chew on.

And while fellow receiver Efton Chism III keeps stacking days that scream ‘roster lock,’ Baker is staring at a much steeper climb. To stick around, he needs the front office to carry seven receivers, which feels like wishful thinking after a one-catch night for 13 yards on seven targets against the Vikings. Those are the kinds of numbers that make roster battles brutal.

Meanwhile, the bigger picture was just as rocky. “Some good, some bad,” Bradbury said, who watched Brian Flores’ defense tee off on his group. “It was a good test.” Good test or not, Maye spent the day learning how fast things collapse with four new starters still gelling. Even he admitted, “I think it was good for us to see a defense that does a lot of things. They got us a few times, but we got them (at times). … It’s great for us to learn from.” Maye is looking at it as a learning curve, but what about the coach?

Vrabel knows this pain isn’t temporary. He’s already warning Maye about “bumps & bruises” in year one. It’s no doubt—it’s reality. His arm strength and legs are his lifeline, much like Josh Allen once was, but no team survives long-term on backyard ball. With Week 1 coming fast, the Patriots better sort this out before Maye’s promise turns into survival mode.