One of the busiest weeks of the NFL offseason is upon us.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel along with personnel executives Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden will travel to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. New England’s contingent will interview draft prospects while on-field workouts start Thursday.

Here are seven Patriots thoughts before the start of the NFL Scouting Combine:

The board might not fall the Patriots’ way
A lot can still change, of course, but more and more draft experts make it sound like Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter will be off the board when the Patriots are on the clock. ESPN NFL draft expert Matt Miller insisted during a recent NESN’s “Foxboro Rush” podcast there’s a 100% chance one quarterback is selected in the top three picks. It would help the Patriots to see two QBs off the board before they pick at No. 4, but that feels like a long shot. If both Carter and Hunter are gone, New England could very well decide between offensive tackle Will Campbell and defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 4.

All eyes are on … Will Campbell’s arms?
From a Patriots standpoint, one of the biggest pre-draft storylines includes Campbell’s arms. Football is funny, right? Some wonder whether Campbell can play left tackle at the next level because of his lack of strength. One way that’s qualified is arm length, and 33-inches is the accepted cutoff point for tackles. If he exceeds the 33-inch mark when he’s measured in Indianapolis, that should any concerns among the Patriots’ brass.

The Patriots should be rooting for the QBs
The Patriots could benefit if quarterbacks Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders to impress. They could also shoot for the stars and hope Jaxon Dart, Tyler Shough, Will Howard and Kyle McCord all shine, too. If they look like first- and second-rounders, even better. The more realistic outcome, though, is Ward and Sanders look deserving of top-3 picks. It would push others down the board. Sanders will reportedly keep his work private as the Colorado product will not participate in passing drills. Like other QBs before him, Sanders will focus on the interview process and throw at Colorado’s Pro Day. It hasn’t yet been reported what Ward will do, but the Miami product could do the same.

The impact of Travis Hunter’s decision
Teams and reporters alike will likely interrogate Hunter about his position preference. The Heisman Trophy winner, a two-way standout at Colorado, is listed as a defensive back at the Combine, but that doesn’t mean he can’t go through receiver drills this week. Hunter could, however, focus on defensive drills and interviews in Indy and wait to show his receiver traits at Colorado’s Pro Day. Hunter’s interview is sure to be one of the most watched. A big week could solidify him as a top-three pick outside the Patriots’ reach.

The wideout who might get in the mix at No. 4
It will likely come down to Campbell or Graham at fourth overall, but Patriots fans need to know the name Tetairoa McMillan. The receiver’s performance in the 40-yard dash could swing his momentum. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound McMillan surely won’t be the fastest wideout of the group, but answering lingering questions about his top speed will be something to watch. McMillan is considered the top receiver in the class, a position of need for Drake Maye’s Patriots.

Where the Patriots are in luck
New England must improve its pass rush this offseason. Fortunately for them, it’s considered the deepest group in the draft. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked his top 100 prospects and nearly a third of them are D-linemen. Seventeen of Brugler’s top 100 are edge rushers. In addition to Carter and Graham, Georgia products Jalon Walker and under-the-radar Mykel Williams could be considered by Vrabel and company, especially in a trade-back scenario. We’ll see just how explosive they are Thursday.

The time for talk is now
The NFL Scouting Combine is also an information-gathering exercise with league executives, coaches, agents and media members coming together in one place. We’ll hear plenty about draft prospects and impending free agents, but it could also be a chance to talk trades. Does a blockbuster for Browns’ Myles Garrett get done? Or perhaps reports trickle out on Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel? The Patriots should be involved in those conversations.

The Combine schedule includes on-field workouts for defensive linemen and linebackers (Thursday), defensive backs and tight ends (Friday), quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs (Saturday) and offensive linemen (Sunday). Vrabel is scheduled to speak with reporters Tuesday morning while Wolf will speak Wednesday afternoon.

You can keep up on the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine with extensive coverage on NESN.com this week.