Mike Vrabel did not hide his concern after the Patriots’ 24-21 preseason win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night. Asked about what he saw from his team, the New England coach said, "I don’t think we have a very deep team," a blunt assessment that lands at a key point in the preseason.
The comment comes with the Patriots still keeping their starters around Drake Maye out of preseason games. Instead of game snaps, New England has leaned on joint practices against the Colts and Eagles to get its top players work, a plan that has put even more attention on the rest of the roster. With multiple offensive linemen already dealing with injuries and the unit still sorting through turnover, depth has become one of the clearest issues facing the team.
Why the roster picture matters now
Saturday’s game also brought another reminder of how fragile the depth chart can be. Marcus Bryant injured his ankle on the opening drive against the Eagles, adding to the questions along the offensive line. That is the area that has been tested most heavily so far, and it is part of why Vrabel’s postgame evaluation carried extra weight.
The Patriots have one preseason game left before the final tune-up, and they are scheduled to return to practice Monday and Tuesday before playing Thursday night in Cleveland. Vrabel said he has not decided yet whether the starters will play in that game, but he made it clear the team is still weighing how best to prepare while protecting its best players.
What Vrabel is weighing
Vrabel said the team has to keep preparing its football team and do everything it can to keep its best players available. He added that if playing Thursday is part of that preparation, then the Patriots will do it, though he has not made that call yet. He also said he is confident in where the team is set up currently.
That leaves New England in a familiar late-summer spot: balancing health, evaluation and readiness. The starters have already been protected through two preseason games and three combined joint practices, but the roster around them is still taking shape. Vrabel’s message after the Eagles game was simple. The Patriots have work to do, and depth is a real concern heading into the final week of the preseason.
