When the New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel to be the next head coach, it was only inevitable for him to bring in his own coaching staff, continuing on with his takeover of the team. It’s worth mentioning that the only two coaches that Vrabel held from the previous coaching regime is the special teams staff of Jeremy Springer and Tom Quinn.
Completing his staff, Vrabel hired Doug Marrone to be his offensive line coach this season. Marrone is most recognized as a head coach in the NFL, most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, spending six years in Duval working the sidelines as an associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach in that time.
In 2021, Marrone became the offensive line coach at the University of Alabama for one season before returning to the NFL as the offensive line coach of the New Orleans Saints from 2022-23. In 2024, Marrone was hired by Boston College as a Senior Analyst for Football Strategy.
During his most recent NFL stint with New Orleans, the run game ranked near the bottom of the league at 19th (2022) and 21st (2023) in total rushing yards despite ranking 10th for the most attempts in both of those years.
It’s worth mentioning that Marrone’s offensive lines weren’t the most disciplined when he was with the Saints, either. The offensive lines totaled 54 penalties in the two seasons he was coaching the position: 25 in 2022 and 29 in 2023.
Additionally, the Saints ranked at the bottom of the league in yards before contact per attempt, which is a reflection of the offensive line. In 2022, they only averaged 2.4 yards before contact (26th) and only 2.2 in 2023 (27th), according to Pro Football Reference.
In 2025, Marrone isn’t inheriting an elite offensive line group in New England. Last year, they ranked last in rushing yards before contact at 0.58 per rush and run block win rate, according to Pro Football Network.
Furthermore, New England allowed 52 sacks (fifth-most), 151 pressure situations (ninth-most), and 56 hits on the quarterback (eleventh-most) in 2024.
Looking at the construct of the team, the offensive line is one of the only position groups that hasn’t been retooled yet by Vrabel. It’s assumed that it will be done in the NFL Draft by selecting the top tackle with their fourth overall pick.
Can Doug Marrone Move The Needle for the Patriots Offensive Line?
Taking all of this into consideration, how much will Marrone really move the needle for the Patriots this season? The only method that has proved to help the offensive line in New England is taking a course from offensive line coaching legend, Dante Scarnecchia.
It’s been speculated throughout the offseason that it’s possible for Scarnecchia to return to the Patriots as an advisor. With Josh McDaniels back in the fold as offensive coordinator and Vrabel as head coach, the old Patriots system is projected to be reinstalled this season, and Scarnecchia is an invaluable asset to utilize if he's there.
It’s fair to assume that Scarnecchia would be willing to return due to his love of the organization and his devotion to the game. It wouldn’t be the first time or the second time that Scarnecchia would return after previously retiring during his career.
In February, Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal reported that multiple sources said that Scarnecchia's name was being talked about as being “around more” for this season, and that it’s the opportunity to work with Vrabel and McDaniels that makes him excited about the idea again.
"Three different sources mention his name to me about being around more. One was stronger, two sort of really downplayed it as far as how much he’s going to be available and how much he’s going to be around. … Given he thinks the world of Vrabel, they went into the Patriots Hall of Fame together. He and Josh McDaniels have been running mates for a very long time, they’re very close."Bedard on Scarnecchia with Vrabel
Bedard also mentions Scarnecchia has known Marrone for a long time and has a great amount of respect for:
"And Dante Scarnecchia has known and has a great deal of respect for Doug Marrone for many, many years. And because they’re running the old system, given Dante’s right down the road as well, most people suspect that Dante is going to be around some whenever these guys might need something."Bedard on Scarnecchia and Marrone
The Patriots’ offensive system is complex. It’s been that way for over twenty years, and it included most of the same personnel, proving that consistency is important, especially along the offensive line. New England hasn’t experienced a consistent offensive line since the 2000s and into the 2010s, when they hit on linemen in the draft and solidified the integrity of the line for many years down the road.
Some of those players include:
- Matt Light (2001-2011)
- Steve Neal (2001-2010, undrafted)
- Dan Koppen (2003-2011)
- Logan Mankins (2005-2013)
- Sebastian Vollmer (2009-201)
- Nate Solder (2011-2017)
- Marcus Cannon (2011-2019)
- Shaq Mason (2015-2021)
- David Andrews (2015-2024, undrafted)
- Joe Thuney (2016-2020)
The last time the Patriots hit on an offensive lineman in the draft was in 2016 when they drafted Thuney in the third round. Since then, they’ve drafted 16 different offensive linemen, and none of them have been good enough to help the team or prove to be worth keeping around long term. New England needs to start hitting on their draft picks when it comes to the offensive line and get players they can just “set it and forget” for the starting line.
If the Patriots are reopening the old playbook, I do believe that a course from Scarnecchia is going to be needed. And that’s not to disregard Marrone as the offensive line coach, he could certainly use any tips from Scarnecchia as well. It just seems like the best method is to use Scarnecchia as a resource if he’s around.
If Vrabel and McDaniels want Scarnecchia to be around, they’ll send him an invitation asking for his guidance (maybe they already have) to get things back on track for the Patriots. It will be hard for him to turn them down.