Ex-NFL GM Projects Potential Patriots Trade Offer For Mike Vrabel

The Patriots might be — and should be — in store for a splash move or two this offseason, and we’re not only talking about additions to the roster.

New England very well could be on the hunt for a new coach for the first time this century. Bill Belichick’s days in Foxboro, Mass. might be numbered, as there are mounting reports indicating the Patriots’ final seven games this season will be the future Pro Football Hall of Famer’s last with the storied organization.

The Patriots could opt for an internal replacement and promote Jerod Mayo to succeed Belichick, but a recent report claimed Mike Vrabel would be the “home run hire” for Robert Kraft and company. In a column published Wednesday for The Athletic, former NFL general manager Randy Mueller outlined what a potential deal for the former New England linebacker and current Tennessee Titans head coach might look like.

“If I were Kraft, I’d reach out owner to owner and offer a 2024 second-round pick, as it will be a high one,” Mueller wrote. “I would not touch a pick in the top 10 because I’m not willing to give up the farm, and if I were the Titans I might counter to acquire an additional pick in a subsequent year.

“This can only happen if Vrabel is serious about moving on as well. And there might be another team that would offer more for a coach of Vrabel’s status, though the league might fight the idea of a draft pick bidding war for a coach.”

The Patriots shouldn’t give up a top-10 pick for Vrabel, and the 2021 Coach of the Year himself might be opposed to that idea as well even if he’s eager to return to New England. The concept of his new team losing valuable draft capital is the reported reason why Belichick would rather be released than traded by the Patriots if the sides do end up going their separate ways.

Vrabel replacing Belichick might be a pie-in-the-sky idea, as it’s unclear how realistic a Nashville departure is this offseason. But at the very minimum, New England brass should make a phone call to Tennessee after the season and check on Vrabel’s availability.