FOXBOROUGH - The minute Mike Vrabel was hired in January, former teammate Vince Wilfork became bullish on the Patriots, and their chances to improve this season.
Seven months later, even with some trouble areas exposed during training camp and the preseason, Wilfork’s view hasn’t changed. He’s on board with the hype parade for a Patriots team that’s gone 4-13 in each of the past two seasons.
And with the regular season on tap in less than two weeks, he’s not backing down.
“I’m excited about this season. I think they’re going to take the league by storm, honestly. I think we’re going to shock the league with how we’re going to look,” Wilfork told MassLive last week while in town promoting his new BBQ sauce. “I’m not saying we’re going to be the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but I think Mike is going to change a lot of things around. I think we’re going to see a different football team. I think we’re going to see a well-oiled machine.
“There’s not going to be a lot of stupid, bonehead mistakes that we had in the past. I just think Mike’s gonna bring something with him that’s going to demand that respect, and guys are going to play for him. He’s not going to put up with the bull crap. Are you going to put the team first, or not? If you can’t, you’re not going to play here. You’re gone.”
Wilfork has played with Vrabel as a Patriot, and was in Houston during his final years when his former teammate was there first as a linebackers coach, and then defensive coordinator.
While Wilfork isn’t predicting a Super Bowl appearance or 7th championship, he does feel that under Vrabel’s leadership, with Josh McDaniels running the offense, and Drake Maye at the helm, the Patriots will have a good season.
Wilfork also points to Vrabel’s first year in Tennessee, and how well he did with “no quarterback.” That year (2018) he went 9-7. By 2020, the Titans went 11-5, then 12-5 in 2021. Still, with no quarterback.
In New England, Vrabel now has a promising young second-year signal-caller, one that Wilfork believes is the real deal.
“I love Drake. I love the kid,” Wilfork said of the Patriots quarterback, who he got to spent time with last year. “He’s got what it takes to be elite.”
As for the addition of Stefon Diggs, and how he might inject some life into the offense, Wilfork smiled.
“Diggs is Diggs,” he said. “We don’t know which Diggs we’re gonna get. But he can still play. You have to respect him.”
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