It’s only May, so it is not too difficult to feel good about the Patriots‘ current position.

The team spent $360 million, the most in the NFL, in free agency this offseason, and is carrying a much more polished, deeper roster than it’s had since the departure of quarterback Tom Brady. It helps, too, to have an experienced head coach in Mike Vrabel, who built his staff himself, a far cry from last year’s disjointed and untested crew of coaches.

With quarterback Drake Maye back for Year 2 in the NFL, there is some brewing excitement around the Patriots, so much so that some are foreseeing last year’s four-win team blossoming into a competitive bunch.

And, well, to heck with competitive–many are predicting the Patriots for an AFC playoff spot this winter. That would likely require a six-win improvement from four to 10 wins, but given the roster rebuild, as well as a fairly soft schedule, there are plenty of level heads who see a 10-win team in this Patriots roster.

Patriots Will Be a 2025 Playoff Team: Gronk

One of them happens to be an analyst of some repute in Patriots circles: Tight end Rob Gronkowski. He might be biased but it’s worth pointing out that, even with the season well in the distance, the Patriots are currently favored in 11 of their 17 games.

During an appearance on the popular “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, Gronkowski spoke highly of the addition of Vrabel and the team’s approach to reconfiguring the roster.

Said Gronk: “I think that’s the perfect fit for New England overall. Just for the organization, for the fan base, for the Kraft family. I love his mantra, I love what he stands for. … I think he just has the personality, just from seeing it and hearing from other players, I think he is the truest, perfect fit for the second era after Bill Belichick.

“What they’re doing in New England, you can’t really argue with any of the moves that they have made so far. I think they have made every move correctly with the draft with who they took, all the way from free agency, they had all of that money and they went and got the guys they needed to get for the positions they needed to get. …

And then he delivered the words every Patriots fan wants to hear in 2025:

“I’m going on record to say that they’re making the playoffs this year.”

There’s a long way to go, and the Patriots still have more OTAs on the docket before June’s mandatory minicamp. But things, according to Gronkowski, are certainly looking up.