When Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Mike Vrabel reached free agency after the 2000 season, the Patriots were one of the few teams that came calling.
"There weren't a whole lot," said Vrabel. "I remember [Bill] Cowher saying, 'Call us if you want to come back.' "
Most teams saw a special teams player and situational defender in Vrabel, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick saw a building block.
"He knew that I hadn't played a whole lot in Pittsburgh and he said, 'I'd never give a job to anybody, but there is certainly an opportunity for you if you come in and play well to start for this football team,' " recalled Vrabel. "I thought it was a better opportunity than what I would have in Pittsburgh. I probably would have made the same amount of money in Pittsburgh, but I wouldn't have been playing as much."
Vrabel is the centerpiece of a 2001 free agent class that buttressed a budding dynasty. The group, which included special teams ace Larry Izzo, linebacker Roman Phifer, and wide receiver David Patten, was probably New England's best collection of new additions until now.
This offseason, Belichick and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli took a New England team that was an Indianapolis minute away from its fourth Super Bowl appearance since 2001 and through trades and free agency added linebacker Adalius Thomas, wide receivers Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Kelley Washington, and Donté Stallworth, tight end Kyle Brady, and running back Sammy Morris. The result is that the Patriots, who enter tomorrow night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals with the top-ranked offense and defense in the NFL, have started faster than a nitro-methane-fueled dragster, racing to a 3-0 start and outscoring opponents, 114-35.
Trading a fourth-rounder for Moss, who is tied for the NFL lead in touchdown catches (five) and is second in yards (403), and ponying up $35 million for the versatile Thomas, who has plugged a hole at middle linebacker, were headline-grabbing coups.
But what has separated the Patriots under Belichick is their ability to identify complementary players.
Among the class of '07, the best examples are Welker, Morris, and Brady.
The Patriots locked in on Welker, who had a career-high 67 catches last year for the Miami Dolphins, as an unrestricted free agent. They ended up acquiring him via trade for second- and seventh-round picks, signing him to a five-year, $16.9 million deal. Quarterback Tom Brady compared Welker to an alacritous canine in training camp and so far he's been a golden receiver with 20 catches for 221 yards and a TD.