Will Josh McDaniels, Wes Welker and Bryan Cox return? Here's a look at who might be Vrabel's assistant coaches.

The new head coach of the New England Patriots, Mike Vrabel, will face a wide array of significant challenges as he tries to restore the once-dominant franchise to contender status in the AFC following back-to-back 4-13 seasons.

Vrabel was the favorite from the start of the Patriots’ search, given his relationship with owner Robert Kraft, his experience, and his coaching style. The Patriots also considered Byron Leftwich, Pep Hamilton, and Ben Johnson, but ultimately landed on the clear front-runner.