With Mike Vrabel available, Patriots move quickly to create a vacancy

The Patriots turned Black Monday into Black Sunday, moving quickly after the conclusion of their Week 18 game to fire first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

Coincidentally or not (not), Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel interviewed with the Jets on Friday.

For teams looking to hire a coordinator, there’s no reason to create a vacancy right away. For teams that hope to hire someone who is immediately available to be hired, time is of the essence.

And while the Patriots will be required to comply with the Rooney Rule before making a hire, they can immediately talk to and interview Vrabel. Those communications could include, in theory, unofficial conversations regarding whether he wants the job, how much it would take to get him, etc.

Vrabel could end up with plenty of leverage. He’s viewed as one of two no-brainer candidates in this cycle, along with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Any team looking for a head coach should want to talk to both candidates.

Ultimately, multiple teams could be competing for Vrabel. From the Patriots to the Jets to the Raiders (partially owned by former teammate and close friend Tom Brady) to possibly others, Vrabel can sit back and watch the numbers get higher and higher and higher.