Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel's biggest hire for his coaching staff was offensive coordinator, which Vrabel filled by hiring longtime OC Josh McDaniels for his third stint in New England.
However, the defensive-minded Vrabel also must fix a Patriots defense that finished the 2024 season ranked 30th in DVOA and 22nd in scoring defense (24.5 PPG), following a season where they were ninth and 14th respectively in 2023. New England's defensive drop-off after parting ways with former head coach Bill Belichick was well documented. One could argue that improved health will spark internal growth from this side of the ball.