Don’t you feel like there is a smell of fresh air in Foxboro ever since the Patriots moved on from one-and-done Jerod Mayo. Yes, it looked a bit harsh on paper to sack a coach filling in the shoes of legendary Bill Belichick. However, the Pats weren’t going anywhere all season with Mayo at the helm. Authority? None. Aura? Zero. Results? Horrible. But blame—100%. Honestly, he never missed a chance to throw his players under the bus like calling them “soft.” Well, that soft era is apparently over. With the pair of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye, the Patriots are giving off different vibes. Something they didn’t have last year.

Well, you know what else they didn’t have last year—a proper QB and of course a well-versed coach. It was not until April that they used their No.3 overall to draft Maye. And it’s only been a month since Vrabel walked into New England. So, with two of their most important positions locked and loaded. As per MassLive, sources around the Patriots believe they will be aggressive in this year’s free agency and draft. Like they also have the ammunition to aggressively pursue their targets. With more than $125M in cap space, the Pats can simply outbid their competitors.

However, this year’s approach will be a bit different. Just because they have the money, there’s no guarantee players will sign for them. Like Vrabel has already said, “You can’t just say we’re going to get this guy because you’re not going to bat 1.000. Everybody else is trying to go for the same player. Having a really detailed plan and approach is probably the only thing to make sure we are doing, which I believe we are.” Well, thus far it’s pretty easy to identify their no.1 priority this offseason.

They have found their gold in Maye. And to keep that gold shining under center. The Pats are looking to bolster their O-line. Up and coming college superstars like Mason Graham and Will Campbell have already been heavily linked to the Pats. With No.4 overall, the Patriots are expected to pick either of them when they are on the clock. Aside from the draft, the Pats are also busy scouting the free agency market. Their top target is believed to be Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley. Then there are Dan Moore Jr., Cam Robinson, and Jerrick Wills at the left tackle. Veteran Morgan Moses is the one to watch out for at RT.

So, there is no end to the Pats’ search of personnel to protect Maye no matter the cost. While there’s a good possibility they can land a top target to sort out their O-line, last year was completely different. Every door the Pats knocked, nobody answered, every call they made, no one picked up. Ghosted!

Remembering how the Patriots were rejected by the likes of Brandon Aiyuk

Last spring, the Pats aggressively pursued Brandon Aiyuk when he was still in a contract dispute with the 49ers. Some believed the Pats couldn’t land Aiyuk because of their lack of effort. However, there was more to the story. Dianni Russini later on her Scoop City podcast said, “The Patriots essentially had a contract in place for Aiyuk giving him around $32M in a year, and with trade compensation that the San Francisco 49ers were OK with.” So, basically, the Pats were ready to break the bank to land a top receiver who was coming off a sensational 2023 season. 75 receptions and more than 1,300 passing yards, Aiyuk could have been the perfect fit for the Patriots’ offense.

However, he straight up rejected New England’s offer. Why? Because he didn’t believe the QB position was attractive enough. So, Aiyuk ended up staying and signed a 4-year, $120M extension. Yes, the Pats could count themselves lucky for dodging a bullet. Because Aiyuk soon tore his ACL and could probably lose his explosiveness once he comes back. But apparently, he wasn’t the only player who rejected the prospect of joining the Pats. WR Calvin Ridley, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and Tyron Smith all pushed away the Patriots because of their lack of aura.

But now the situation is quite different in New England. With Mike Vrabel as HC, Josh McDaniels as OC, Drake Maye as QB, there is a sense of belief among the team. Foxboro will surely be hoping good times are ahead after two seasons of absolute misery.