Mike Vrabel feels ‘energy,’ ‘excitement’ at Patriots’ first OTA

Coming off consecutive 4-13 seasons, the New England Patriots are hoping to turn the page quickly under new head coach Mike Vrabel.
“I think there’s an excitement. There’s an energy,” Vrabel told reporters Tuesday as the team’s offseason program got underway. ” I think there’s a willingness of players that walk in and want to improve, want to get to know the new players and the ones that they’re familiar with from last year, the coaches and everything else. We’re just constantly trying to build that each and every day.”
Vrabel, who played for the Patriots from 2001-08 and coached the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, replaces Jerod Mayo. Mayo only coached one season after succeeding six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick.
Right now, Vrabel said the Patriots are trying to integrate second-year quarterback Drake Maye and the rest of the roster into a new system ahead of next month’s mandatory minicamp.
“I think everybody’s worked extremely hard, including Drake, to pick up what we want to do offensively and defensively,” Vrabel said. “Now that has to start to translate onto the practice field in a spring setting, without pads, and I think that we’re off to a good start. We had a positive day. We were able to mix some speed stuff in and competitive stuff to a point.”
Although these are non-contact sessions, Vrabel said there are still things he wants to see in every practice.
“That we’re in and out of the huddle, that there are clean substitutions, that there’s communication,” he began. “You hear the defense making checks when somebody on the offense moves or motions. There’s coordination, and that the offense is moving with urgency and that the play clock isn’t sitting at zero for four seconds. All of the operational things.
“And then there’s obviously got to be a level of execution when we’re in the speed, and then when we get to the jog-through, can we practice at a tempo that’s less than 100-percent and still get something out of it.”
Vrabel confirmed that the Patriots will hold joint practices during training camp later this summer with both the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings.
He also gave an update on running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who is dealing with the passing of his father in March.
“We’re extremely excited to have him with us. I’ve been in constant communication with him, and obviously our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they heal and they grieve, and I want to be a part of that to help him, and get to know him,” Vrabel said of Stevenson, also praising his on-field effort and performance from last season.
“He’s going to be a large part of what we do, and we’ll just have to determine where he’s at when he’s back here,” Vrabel said of Stevenson.
New England opens the regular season at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7.