Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel Reveals OTA Success Criteria

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — To quote the legendary Boston rock band Aerosmith, the New England Patriots were “back in the saddle again” as they begin OTAs at Gillette Stadium.

As will be the case with many of this year’s season milestones, head coach Mike Vrabel is conducting his first as the Patriots’ top option on the coaching depth chart. With offseason workout phases 1 and 2 firmly behind them, Vrabel and the Patriots are now ready for their preparations to reach another level.

Though OTAs are seldom indicative of a team’s regular-season potential, the sessions are expected to provide insight on its performance. In fact, Vrabel laid out a clear criteria of what he considers to be a successful OTA practice while speaking with reporters prior to Tuesday’s practice at Gillette Stadium.

“All of the operational things,” Vrabel said. “Getting in and out of the huddle, making clean substituations … that’s all important. We need to see the defense making checks when the offense moves … The offense should be coordinated before the snap and moving with urgency."

From the moment he took the reins in January as the franchise’s 16th head coach, Vrabel has made it clear that his leadership style will attempt to once again instill a culture of hard work, collaboration and accountability. The 49-year-old has vowed to remove the “entitlement” from the team and thus create an aura of self-responsibility. As such, New England’s front office has worked diligently to stack its roster with high-quality, high-character players, to ensure that Vrabel’s message must not only be heard, but unconditionally embraced by his team to succeed.

With nine days of organized team activities (OTAs) scheduled through late May and early June at Gillette Stadium, Vrabel and the Pats brain trust will be keeping a close watch on returning veterans, new faces and rookies as they take the first steps in filling their 53-man roster.

At their core, the voluntary sessions are designed to help players improve through in-person meetings and classroom instruction, with less emphasis on-field practices. Though live contact drills are prohibited during this period, 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills can be run.

After practicing on Monday and Tuesday, the Patriots will enjoy a day off on Wednesday (May 20) before returning to the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium on Thursday to conclude their first week of OTAs.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!