We're 24 Hours Into The Mike Vrabel Era And The Patriots Are No Longer Losers

Let's start the new season off with some hyperbole. Why not.

It's not total hyperbole, as I'm absolutely loving what I've seeing from the Pats in the first day and a half of free agency.

One thing I pounded my chest about last year was not just the Patriots' lack of free agency activity, but their unwillingness to match the overpay offers that are annually handed out in the legal tampering window. I felt a sense of entitlement, like they thought they were too good to overpay players because they were the Patriots.....except they weren't. The mystique of the old Patriots was gone, and no one wanted to go there, at least not on a market value contract.

Mike Vrabel is now in charge and my confidence of the ship righting is already higher than I thought it could go. The boys went shopping yesterday (feels kinda weird to say that about people) and a new era of Patriots football has officially begun.

It started with Harold Landry, a sack-happy veteran LB who adds some juice to the league-worst sack unit and played under Vrabel in Tennessee. Then came Robert Spillane, another Vrabel descendent, who came into his own the last two years in Vegas, starting every game and posting 173 tackles. Consider the LB room who was very thin after Ja'Whaun Bentley went out last year revamped.

But the defensive signings were just beginning. Carlton Davis came from Detroit to form one of the better one-two cornerback combos in the league with Gonzo. If he can stay healthy, which he hasn't done for a full season in his career, the secondary, already the best part of the defense, who's also getting Jabrill Peppers back, might be scary.

Then the big splash, at least on paper. Milton Williams, who most casuals never heard of before the clinic he put on in the Super Bowl, signed a nine-figure deal and became the highest paid player on the roster. You aren't one of the most coveted defensive free agents and sign for $100M+ from one game; those numbers come from production, and likely in this case, youth and upside. At 25 years old, the Pats saw enough consistent improvement to make him one of the faces of the franchise. If Christian Barmore can come back healthy from his blood clots, that's not an interior to mess with.

I won't go through every player, but the notable offensive signing was veteran tackle Morgan Moses, who plays more RT than LT but who cares, we sucked at all of them. A reliable guy whose started 95% of his 166 career games, the Pats have at least one security blanket for our precious Drakey Boy, and with it a guy who can help teach these youngsters a thing or two about being a pro and has been touted as a locker room staple from every media outlet you can imagine.

That's a lot. But it's the process, more so than the results, that has me so excited.

They weren't acting like Oprah and handing out contracts to anyone who looked our way. They didn't target the big, splashy names. The moves felt calculated, maticulous.

They went after veteran guys that are familiar with or can adapt to the Mike Vrabel culture. Vrabel has talked about culture since his first words at the podium in January. These signings, from bringing in guys who've played for him, or veterans who add locker room presence, showed a clear vision for the type of guy they wanted to bring in.

What else is clear is that, as he's also said from the jump, this team is building from inside out. Sure they still need a weapon (sorry Mack Hollins), but they beefed up both ends of the line, and filled out the defense. That was the priority. As it should be. If Philly showed us anything this year, it's that the game is still won in the trenches and with good defense, neither of which the Patriots had last year.

But as I hinted at the beginning of the blog, what I love the most about the signings, particularly the Milton Williams one, is that the Patriots admitted and owned the fact they need to potentially overpay to acquire talent. Milton was packed and ready to leave for Carolina when the Patriots swooped in at the eleventh hour and swept him away on a heaping bed of cash. That's not the Patriots I'm accustomed to. But it's who they need to be.

We're unfortunately in the same weight class as the Panthers, who are not a destination players are willing to take hometown discounts for. We need to take a chance on a 25 year old potential star and give him more than anyone else was willing to and maybe deserves. We need to give a CB who's 0-7 on playing a full season $60 million. We need the reason the free agent grades aren't A's to be because of contract value concerns.

I love the self-awareness. I love that we took ownership of where we currently stand, and made actual progress to change it. I love that we're filling the locker room with proven veterans, that we prioritized defense despite the talking heads only ever emphasizing our offensive needs. I love that despite prioritizing defense we nabbed one of the best OL available in free agency, at a reasonable cap hit no less.

We have a long way to go, but the journey had to start somewhere. I was nervous as hell going into this week after what we did (or didn't do) in last year's free agency, but in Vrabel we trust. I can't quantify how confident I am in his ability to make us a real team again.

This week has already proven the dawn of a new era is upon us. The Patriots are back.