If the Bill Belichick era with the New England Patriots comes to an end after this season, owner Robert Kraft reportedly may have an ideal replacement in mind: former Patriot and current Tennessee Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel.
According to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, Vrabel is believed to be the “home run choice” of Kraft to replace Belichick should he not be retained following the 2023 campaign.
Volin adds that “it seems increasingly likely that this season is Belichick’s last in Foxborough” and that the extension Belichick signed this year reportedly only runs through 2024.
Two sources close to the Patriots have independently said the same thing: They believe Vrabel, currently the Titans’ coach, is the Krafts’ “home run” choice to succeed Belichick.
The problem for the Patriots, of course, is that Vrabel is still under contract in Tennessee beyond this year after inking an extension in 2022, which means New England would have to trade for the Titans head coach.
Volin points out that Kraft does have a history of trading for a head coach, something the Pats did in order to bring in Belichick back in 2000. That deal netted the New York Jets a first-round pick.
As much as the Pats might want to hire Vrabel, the Titans would have to be willing to send him there, something I don’t think Tennessee would be open to doing unless Vrabel, who is considered one of the better head coaches in the NFL, wants out.
Volin speculates that the Titans’ lackluster season and the fact that Vrabel reportedly “doesn’t always see eye to eye” with new general manager Ran Carthon are potential reasons why Vrabel might be willing to move on.
The Titans are 3-5 and their roster has fallen on hard times the last two years, mostly outside of Vrabel’s control (general manager Jon Robinson got fired). Will Levis might be the answer at quarterback, but it is way too early to tell. And there is chatter that Vrabel doesn’t always see eye to eye with new GM Ran Carthon, who was a surprise outside hire.
Head coaches and general managers not seeing eye to eye is nothing new in the NFL. Adding to that, it’s not like the Titans are in salary cap hell going into 2024.
In fact, the Titans are set to have the most cap space in the NFL next year, per Over the Cap. Tennessee also has a potential franchise quarterback in Will Levis, so it may not be long before the team turns it around.
New England is set to have the second-most cap space next offseason but the team has to go back to the drawing board at quarterback after the failed Mac Jones experiment.
If this was any other team, I would say absolutely no chance Vrabel leaves. Even still, I’d be shocked if he ends up in New England in 2024.
