It could be a special year in New England.

Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots | Jaiden Tripi/GettyImages

It’s probably not all that surprising that, considering the moves the Patriots made at the top of their organization this offseason, most of the conversation has focused on the offense. There’s nothing more Sports Talky than a new QB-coach pairing, and the Drake Maye-Mike Vrabel dynamic will be one, if not the, most intriguing early things to watch for when training camp rolls around next month.

But if the Patriots stand to improve immediately on either side of the ball under Vrabel, it’s more-than-likely going to be on defense. Vrabel’s obviously got the requisite experience on that side of the ball, and the roster quietly features quite a few players who could be among the best, league-wide, at their position by the end of this season. It’s why NFL.com analyst Marc Ross included mutliple Patriots defensive players on a new list that is totally, absolutely worth Pats fans’ time. His bit about Christian Gonzalez is The Good Stuff.

The Patriots could have a sneaky-elite defense under Mike Vrabel in 2025

“The third-year cornerback has already shown he can play at a high level. After a promising rookie season ended due to injury just four games into the year, Gonzalez proved why he was a first-round pick by routinely shutting down his side of the gridiron in 2024. Gonzalez allowed only one reception for 58 yards on 13 deep targets (20-plus air yards) last season, per Next Gen Stats. He was one of only three cornerbacks to not allow multiple deep receptions (minimum 10 targets). He enters the 2025 campaign with a proven cornerback playing opposite him in veteran Carlton Davis III, who won a Super Bowl in Tampa and was a playmaker for Aaron Glenn’s unit in Detroit last season. This tandem should also benefit from the talent New England brought in along the front seven. I’m prepared to watch Gonzalez, who’s been showing off his skills this summer, take his game to an elite level this fall.”

I kinda thought Gonzalez’s play had already risen to an elite level, but that’s another debate for another blog on another day. This here blog is simply about pointing out how great the Patriots’ defense might be this season – in fact, how great they’ll probably be. So when Vrabel can’t quite get the most out of Maye and Stefon Diggs immediately (kidding, kinda), I’ll be taking a large deep breath and remembering this. If only there was an apt cliche about what good defenses win to end this blog with.