PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
PRESS CONFERENCE
August 1, 2026
Q: Outside of Annie's lemonade, what have you liked from what you've seen for the first two practices?
MV: I thought that we're figuring out how to practice. Again, the Patriots won't always have a good play. It's going to be the offense will have a good play or the defense will have a good play, and we fight that battle. What we have to be able to do is when one side of the ball makes a play, makes a few plays or creates a little bit of momentum, it's how do we react, how do we come back and respond, just like we'd have to do in a game. We find ourselves in those moments a lot of times throughout the game, and it's always a good way, and that's why we try to practice the way we do. So, I think it's been a good start. We've gotten good red zone work. We've been able to do some third down. Today will be essentially a "call it" - there is no script, so the players won't have what the play is or what the situation is, which we always like to do here, and give them an opportunity to go play, get into a little bit of rhythm, get into a little bit of conditioning, create a drive. If it's a three-and-out, I'll just make it first down. Just bear with me. Players will probably start to [say], "Oh, that was a sack," and, "Now why is it not third-and-15? Why is it third-and-7?" So, we just do all those things, and I think they understand that that's really good for the football team. So, I'm excited to do that today.
Q: In order to sustain success, you need good leadership. A guy like Hunter Henry, you see him every day seemingly with passion and joy to what he does. How important is that?
MV: Hunter, obviously we've talked about his consistency and production. He had a few good days, and I think Thomas [Brown Jr.] has done a good job with him, to be able to get him exactly what he needs and continue that connection with Drake [Maye]. We continue to find ways to have him help us, whether that be on third down or in the red zone like he showed up yesterday. So, I appreciate his consistency, and I think he's been really good for all those tight ends in there. I saw him go to Jack [Westover] yesterday after a few plays in a red zone and congratulate him on a block or whatever it was. And helping Eli [Raridon], Tanner [Arkin] and all the tight ends. I know C.J. [Dippre] and obviously Reggie [Gilliam] is in that room and helps with leadership as well.
Q: What about consistency and leadership on the other side of the ball? Can you extend that maybe to Robert [Spillane], given the fact you have been with him for such a long time and he has been one of the steadiest defenders you guys have had?
MV: Yeah, I mean, we have a group of guys. We've always said there are no restrictions on leadership, whether that is Craig Woodson or Kevin Byard [III], looking at the age difference in those players. Robert shows up every morning with a great attitude. I think that's why you practice, and that's what we talk about - building a team, and you're going to find guys that have different leadership styles, and guys respond differently. It's our job as coaches and leaders to find ways to get the best out of everybody.
Q: Mike, is there an expectation for someone like Hunter as you are talking about him helping the younger players? I mean, there's a huge age difference there in experience.
MV: I have never said, "Hey." I think it just happens, right? I think the guys that usually end up doing it are the ones that should end up doing it, and then you don't have to really say anything. I'm sure there have been cases in however long I have tried to do this that I've maybe had to say something, but very rarely. I mean, I think the guys that are supposed to be doing that and having that role do it.
Q: What has impressed you about Tanner Arkin so far?
MV: I mean, just the learning each and every day. The competitive spirit, going against Dre [Dre'Mont Jones] and Elijah [Ponder], trying to block, be consistent and be physical. He's learned what to do quickly. I think sometimes, young players, when things start to pile on, they can slow down because they're thinking a little bit. I haven't seen that, so hopefully that continues.
Q: You guys signed Julian Hill, a real veteran player to fill the role you envisioned there. Now that he's gone down, do you think a youngster can handle that role or do you still see it as unsettled there?
MV: I mean, I think that those guys are the ones that have the first crack at it. I mean, that's who's going to be out there today, and we'll keep looking and seeing what's available, who's available, who we feel like could help us. We're a long time before the start of the season, but you want to be able to put those guys in a position to try to earn a role, and then determine after that which direction we think is best for us to head.
Q: Mike, with Carlton Davis [III], we have not seen him out there a few days. Do you anticipate that being like a longer-term thing?
MV: Timelines are tough for me, Soph [Sophie Weller]. I know he's working hard to get back. We'll have Gabe [Jacas] back today. We'll get Gabe back today. Get that out on social here, guys. I'll give you a minute there to get you guys' stuff on there. He'll be out there in a limited role. We've talked to you about the return to play protocol that we have, and so now he gets handed over to the coaches, and that'll be in a limited role. He won't be involved in the team reps, but hopefully Monday, we'll see him back out there. There'll be some other guys that, on our third day here of full pads, that'll probably be limited or won't be out there as much. I think AVT [Alijah Vera-Tucker] would be one of those guys. I think Marcus [Jones], I would say, won't handle his full Marcus Jones, and Gonzo [Christian Gonzalez] probably will not handle their full rep responsibility, just so you understand that. Mondre [Rhamondre Stevenson] would be one of those guys. I think Morgan [Moses] will come out for team. Again, I'm just giving you a heads up so there are no surprises. There is just trying to have a plan for everybody and try to finish this third day off really well. Like we always talk about, whether those guys are out there or not, that provides opportunities for other players, and we've seen guys do well with those opportunities that they've been given.
Q: What have you learned about Gabe since he has been in the building?
MV: He loves football. He's been itching to get back. He texts me all the time. He texts me late at night, "Hey, am I going to practice tomorrow?" I'm like, "No, just like I told you at 6:30 last night or tonight that you're not going to practice tomorrow. You don't have to text me at 10:00 and ask again. The answer is still no, not yet." You want that. You want guys that are looking for ways in as opposed to looking for ways out. I think he just wants to get out there, get acclimated and be with his teammates. That is all he wants to do. He just wants to play football.
Q: Mike, what have you seen from Behren Morton in his development?
MV: I mean, I think he's got a live arm. I think that he learns quickly. I think he's been able to operate that third group, get those guys going and build a connection with some of the young receivers. There are opportunities. They'll get some opportunities again today to go out there, and we'll see how he responds without a script and not necessarily knowing what play is coming.
Q: Mike, it seems like Behren is getting more opportunities than the third-string quarterback last year. Just curious what goes into giving enough of those quarterback reps?
MV: The time that we have and what kind of receivers that we have in that group. I think that's an interesting question. It's how do you develop a young quarterback. Again, we have time limits here the first couple days of camp, an hour and a half practice, and you have to figure out what the football team needs, and then it goes to an hour and 45. So, those are some things I think about when I'm trying to figure out who gets the reps. But also want to give those guys a chance to put tape on there. They've been in the meetings. They've been doing individual drills. So, I think it's just a balance. It's just trying to find a balance of how much does Tommy [DeVito] need as the backup and how much does Behren need as a young player that we're excited about and developing, and then be able to at some point put him in a competition for that job. So, I think it's just a balance, and then as coaches, we have to provide opportunities for Behren to go and develop into a quarterback in the NFL.
Q: Mike, has there been any progress made with Christian and his contract negotiations?
MV: Listen, we've talked about this contract. It'll either get done, and when it gets done, that'll be the progress that's made. Everybody that's involved is working hard. I cannot express the professionalism that Gonzo has started camp with. It's clear that he wants to improve, that he wants to be the best at his craft and at that position. I think that he's made that known by the way he's come out here to practice.
Q: Do you guys have a policy, Mike, that you will not negotiate with players who aren't practicing?
MV: I think we just want to have a policy that we want to re-sign players that we draft, we covet and that we feel like can help us win. That is our goal. We want to draft really good players and good people, develop them, have them play for us, re-sign them, build a team with them. So, whatever policies there are, I think that a lot of things are a case-by-case basis. I just, again, I've talked about his professionalism, the way that he has started camp and how he has practiced, and always, you want your best players to show that on the football field.
Q: When you are deciding, Alijah, Christian, Marcus and different players and how to manage their workload, is there anything different about that process either in terms of what you are considering?
MV: No, it just gets a lot of communication. Again, you hope that you know the player well enough that they can give you some honest feedback. I have to weigh what I think is best for them and what everybody needs to be ready. If there is soreness or fatigue, we try to use whatever the analytics is of the GPS and the tracking and the load management, but also try to understand what they need through the football season. I think our coaches do a good job of trying to manage some of those guys and the reps that they specifically need at practice. So, I think it starts with really good communication between Jim [Whalen], Frank [Piraino], me, Eliot [Wolf], Ryan [Cowden], Stretch [John Streicher] and everybody here, and then also with the player.
Q: Mike, we've seen you guys use tempo after some big plays. Of course, there's some element during hurry-up or end-of-half situations. Are there any other ways that you can use tempo to put the defense on the back foot?
MV: I think I've tried to do the old tempo period, where it's like announcing when there's a fire drill. It's not really much of a drill if you know that it's coming. So, we've tried to build those things into practice, and I think it works better when a play gains 8 or 10 yards. If it's no gain, it's hard to recreate that. Again, we don't want to go fast just to go fast. We want to determine whether it can help us, and if it can, great, while also helping the defense. We've emphasized not substituting until you see us huddle. If a player steps across the line and we try to get on the ball quickly, they're going to stand over it. It's all those little details we can teach the offensive players while making sure the defense is getting back and getting set. Are they going to snap the ball fast and do we need to be lined up? Are they just trying to see what we're in? We try to talk to everyone involved, because you have to figure out what type of tempo it is, and adjust and disguise accordingly. So, we'll see. There's opportunities to do that. We haven't really gotten into the two-minute situation or at the end of the half yet. That'll be the next situation that goes in. We're just trying to build those opportunities through practice as best we can, so the players don't know they're coming and the offense can get to the line of scrimmage in a timely fashion.
