100% agree. No matter how promising coaches like Johnson, Glenn and Coen are, I don't see the Krafts going with another first year HC after this year's shit show.
You have to interview him (or try) to find out but my fear is he's Norv Turner/Josh McDaniels instead of Shanahan/McVay. I am between Coen (given his association with McVay and, let's be honest, his time with the Black Bears), Vrabel or, darkhorse, Minter, who I think will be awesome, just maybe not quite yet.
Yeah I hope the talk radio sweatiness for Vrabel isn't a sign that his hire is a fait accompli. Johnson's offense is pretty sweet and while a first time head coach is a risk, he is the type of forward looking candidate this team should be looking at if they actually want to rebuild and not just do BB covers. Vrabes feels like a grasp at getting back to being not terrible. Pats fans should want something more.
At this point in time, with the information we happen to have about the uncertainty in the personnel department and the state of the roster, isn’t this a good bet no matter who the hire is?
Got it - I’m on board with this concern. I don’t like the idea that Bob and Jonathan are gonna be running this thing, potentially without anyone who they aren’t paying/isn’t trying to keep their job meaningfully urging them to consider Vrabel alternatives.
Yes but that doesn't mean that the interviews will be real interviews, or that they haven't already settled on Vrabel. I'm hoping they conduct real actual interviews with guys who they are actually considering hiring as the coach, both Rooney Rule interviews and others. Not just going through the motions and then handing the job to Vrabel.
My assumption is that the Krafts knew that Vrabel and Johnson would be interested if the job was available so firing Mayo after that trainwreck was a no-brainer.
I breathed a sigh of relief. I am first and foremost of the mind that I would prefer whoever is in charge of football ops (and that appears to be and will be in the near future Wolf) conduct a thorough search and get the right guy. That said... as an armchair analyst I am not thrilled about the prospect of Vrabel at all and would much prefer Johnson.
At a minimun it is due dilligence. They have to run interviews to satisfy the Rooney rule and can't just hand the job to Vrabel even if that's their guy. Talking to Johnson in the process can't hurt.
The Johnson request is a way to look as though they are conducting a legit search. Frankly, after last night, I'd have put in a request for Aaron Glenn
And this is the key issue with Vrabel. They also need a good OC if they choose him. With Johnson, it's a two for one deal.I assume Ben Johnson would call the plays if he were the Pats next head coach. That would be phenomenal. Vrabel never did at Tennessee.
getting way ahead of myself here.
According to some he is the favorite for the Jets job. Another Parcells mentee and Tannenbaum running the search plus his playing days with the Jets. If I’m Johnson and I think Vrabel is a done deal with the Pats, why bother? Drake Maye, I guess.
He doesn't but that wasn't the point. I didn't say interviewing Johson satisfies the Rooney Rule.
He doesn't, but as mentioned above it would look really shady if they only interviewed the bare minimum. Plus maybe Vrabel isn't a done deal.
Hard to say with Vrabel since he's never had a Top 10 QB. Given that, I'd say overall his results were impressive. Then again, we have seen how Johnson has transformed Goff and that potential/approach is tantalizing af.
Vrabel spent this year working with the OL and TE with the Browns. I like that he’s looking to get better in all areas.
St Brown was a 4th round pick that the Pats and everyone else passed on multiple times. I’m not too worried that he could only make it work with elite talent. Hell no one had Goff as a top 10 QB in 2020.
I don't think there's any reporting that Vrabel wants personnel control but he did butt heads with the new Titans GM that replaced Jon Robinson who hired Vrabel. Vrabel also reportedly disagreed with Robinson over the AJ Brown trade.
I think he's a really good coach. Has paid his dues too. I hope he doesn't get jerked around as the minority candidate. (Same with Flores, for that matter.)
