What to expect from the New England Patriots this offseason

"With the sting of a decisive loss in Super Bowl LX lingering, coach Mike Vrabel widened the lens with his message to players in their final meeting last Tuesday. He told them it was a "disappointing finish to a phenomenal, exciting, enjoyable year." Then he turned to a home analogy. He told players a solid foundation has been built in his first year. And now they will focus on tweaking it, much like finishing a basement or adding space to the existing structure."

"The construction plan will have to come together quickly. The NFL combine begins Feb. 23, so expect a sudden pivot to draft-based chatter, with the Patriots owning the No. 31 overall pick and 11 selections overall. Then the legal negotiating period in free agency starts March 9. "There'll be some difficult decisions that we'll have to make, and we'll try to do them with the team's best interest in mind. As always, that'll never change," Vrabel said."

"Christian Gonzalez extension: For the first time in his career, Gonzalez -- who is coming off an exemplary performance in Super Bowl LX -- is eligible for a new deal. He said Tuesday, "This is where I got drafted. I don't want to be anywhere else." Gonzalez's situation is similar to Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.'s last March. Stingley was entering his fourth season in the NFL and signed a three-year, $90 million extension that included $89 million in bonuses and guarantees."

Mike Vrabel characterized the Super Bowl loss as "a disappointing finish to a phenomenal, exciting, enjoyable year" and compared the roster to a home with a solid foundation that needs tweaking. The team will shift quickly to offseason work with the NFL combine on Feb. 23 and free agency negotiations starting March 9. The Patriots hold the No. 31 overall pick and 11 total selections. Christian Gonzalez is eligible for a new contract and expressed a desire to remain with the team. Recent cornerback extensions set market comparables near top-dollar, suggesting Gonzalez's deal would be in a similar financial ballpark. The team anticipates difficult roster decisions.

Read at ESPN.com