The Commander Way?
The New England Patriots have moved swiftly this offseason, filling four major coaching positions and restructuring their front office—all before the conference championships concluded.
Armed with the most salary cap space in the league and the 4th overall pick in the upcoming draft, this offseason presents a pivotal moment for the franchise. Their situation closely mirrors that of the Washington Commanders last year, who entered the offseason with significant cap space, the 2nd overall pick, and a dire need for a franchise quarterback and coaching stability.
The Commanders turned to an experienced former head coach, Dan Quinn, who assembled a seasoned staff by hiring a former head coach as offensive coordinator and promoting a position coach to defensive coordinator. Their quarterback of the future, Jayden Daniels, arrived via the No. 2 pick in the draft.
Similarly, the Patriots have now hired Mike Vrabel as head coach, brought in Josh McDaniels (a former head coach) as offensive coordinator, and added Terrell Williams (a former position coach under Vrabel in Tennessee) to the staff. Additionally, they secured their franchise quarterback, Drake Maye, in last year’s draft.
The Commanders successfully revamped their roster, signing a league-high 29 players in the offseason. As a result, they saw a dramatic turnaround, improving their points scored ranking from 25th to 5th and their points allowed ranking from 32nd to 11th. Notably, of the 25 players who played more than 40% of the team’s snaps, 15 of them were not on the roster in 2023.
A key step in this process could be targeting top free-agent wide receiver Tee Higgins, who would provide a much-needed playmaker for Drake Maye. Adding stability to the offensive line is an absolute must-have, and someone that could be on the Patriots radar is free-agent tackle Alaric Jackson. These two additions would be major upgrades to positions that lacked major production in 2024. With the necessary cap space, a top-five draft pick, a franchise quarterback, and now a proven template for an immediate turnaround, the Patriots have the opportunity to transform their 2025 season into a competitive and successful campaign—just as the Commanders did.
