The New England Patriots will likely have many new faces on the roster once free agency and the draft are complete, and head coach Mike Vrabel has made it clear what he wants.
A member of the Patriots' dynasty in the 2000s, Vrabel played linebacker and won three Super Bowls. Now, he's seeking to restore the winning ways in Foxborough after back-to-back 4-13 seasons under former head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.
"I want them to work with me. Like, we're in this together. I want to be along on a journey and help them have a successful career," Vrabel told MassLive.com's Karen Guregian regarding prospective players.
"The better they play, the better the team's going to do. That's facts. So, tough-minded? I think they have to be tough-minded to play professional football," Vrabel added. "I think you have to be resilient. I think if you're just going to say you're going to win every matchup, that's not factual."
New England has needs for new players all over the field, including offensive linemen and wide receivers on offense, and edge players on defense. The Patriots own the league's largest salary cap space at $129.78 million, but Vrabel won't spend just to spend.
"There's a limit to what we will do, I would imagine," Vrabel said. "Again, it's free agency. You have to understand you're probably going to overspend, per se."
"But we also have to use this as an avenue to strengthen our roster. It's not the end-all-be-all. It's not the only answer," he added. "But it's got to contribute to strengthen our roster."
