NFL Insider Highlights Potential ‘Problem’ With New Patriots Exec

Mike Vrabel appeared to have a clear first move in mind as he approached the helm with the Patriots.

Almost immediately after New England announced Vrabel as its new head coach, a report claimed the ex-linebacker was expected to bring Ryan Cowden with him to Foxboro, Mass. And Cowden, who worked with Vrabel in Tennessee, reportedly will be able to break out of his New York Giants contract in order to join the Patriots.

The power dynamics in New England’s front office remain unclear, but Eliot Wolf will be involved even after a shaky first season as vice president of player personnel. And as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer explained Tuesday on “Early Edition,” the Wolf-Cowden relationship could experience some growing pains.

“His friends will tell you he’s loyal to a fault, but he can be prickly,” Breer said of Cowden, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston. “If he isn’t in on you, then it can be a problem. So I think it’s gonna be on Eliot and Ryan to figure this out. I think it’s gonna be on Eliot and Ryan to work through whatever entanglements there might be in melding the way that one guy does things, the way the other guy does things.”

Vrabel on Tuesday stressed that he was “beyond comfortable” working with Wolf, so there might already be a rough structure in place that satisfies all parties involved. Patriots brass and the fans better hope so, as New England can’t afford to deal with front office turmoil after a string of awful seasons.