Mike Vrabel makes candid admission about Patriots’ depth issues

It is not unusual to keep star players’ time in preseason games limited. The games are full contact, there’s always a chance for injury, and the games don’t count toward the standings.

But through two games, the Patriots haven’t played their starters at all. Drake Maye hasn’t played a snap. Neither has A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez, Milton Williams, Hunter Henry, or Will Campbell.

Coach Mike Vrabel was asked after the game how important it would be for Maye and the rest of New England’s key players to get some time in the final preseason game this coming Thursday at Cleveland.

His answer was both candid and revealing. The Patriots, who made the Super Bowl last year, aren’t considered a very deep team by their coach.

“I do not think we have a very deep team, so I think we have to make sure that we are preparing our football team and that we are doing everything that we can to keep our best players available,” Vrabel said. “And if that means playing Thursday as part of preparation, then that is what we will do. I have not made that decision yet, but I would say that that is something that I am confident in with where we are set up currently.

The Patriots have had three joint practices. Contact was limited and the Patriots’ starters pretty much have all played except for Gonzalez who is in the middle of contract negotiations and has been dealing with an undisclosed injury according to Vrabel. Even Christian Barmore and Morgan Moses, who are on individualized plans, have been able to work in situationally.

Vrabel said two weeks ago that the “only reason” teams hold joint practices is that starters can get reps in outside of the preseason games. The games, he said, are for players who may not have been able to get as many reps during the joint practices.

The Patriots’ depth has already been tested by injuries this summer.

Harold Landry has missed all of training camp, and Gabe Jacas got off to a late start while he was dealing with contract issues, leaving the Patriots shorthanded at edge-rusher.

The Patriots have had three offensive linemen go down with injuries in the preseason games. Reserve tackle Marcus Bryant left the game with an ankle injury Saturday night. New England cut Andrew Rupcich after reaching an injury settlement with him. Ben Brown, who was expected to be a key reserve on the interior, will be out for several weeks.

Saturday’s game also showed how thin the Patriots are at certain spots where players have been healthy. The front seven had a difficult time stopping the run early on, and the pass-rush was lacking for most of the game.

Milton Williams, Christian Barmore and Cory Durden have been relatively healthy up front. So has Robert Spillane and most of New England’s linebacking corps. Their backups struggled on Saturday.

At one point during the first half, Mike Vrabel gathered his team to tell them how displeased he was with the effort.

“I saw dog [expletive] defense, and I wanted to talk to them,” Vrabel said. “I figured that if I did not call a timeout, that I would not be able to get what I wanted to say off my chest.”

The Patriots turned in a better effort during the second half and won the game. Vrabel said he liked how his team competed and fed off of each other as the game went on.

Next week, the younger players and reserves will have a little more time to show what they can do before roster cutdown day next Sunday.

 “I think we just have to continue to not make the same mistakes twice,” Vrabel said. “As far as some of the younger guys, we need to make new mistakes because you need to be able to count on some of these guys when we put the roster together to be able to contribute, and as we define their roles.

“So I think that is probably the first thing, and then we will have practice, and then we will have another game on Thursday. We have two really good days lined up I think on Monday and Tuesday. And then we will travel, and we will play in Cleveland. So those are opportunities, and then the schedule gets a little funky, and we will have to be ready to go.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.