Tag: Eliot Wolf

Patriots GM indicates aggressive draft strategy at QB position

Eliot Wolf is comfortable taking the best available quarterback at No. 3

New England Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf offered some perspective on the team’s strategy a week out from the 2024 NFL draft.

One of the most pressing needs for the organization is the quarterback position. There are plenty of talented quarterback prospects to choose from in this draft, headlined of course by USC’s Caleb Williams. Nevertheless, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, UNC’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy have all been connected to the Patriots via pre-draft buzz and pro day visits.

The Patriots certainly have a lot of options to choose from, as they look to find their next franchise quarterback. If the Patriots ultimately decide to take a quarterback, Wolf is comfortable taking a player regardless of who is still on the board at No. 3.

“I think that’s fair,” said Wolf, when asked if he envisioned drafting Daniels, Maye or McCarthy at No. 3, regardless of how the board fell.

Patriots fans are eagerly awaiting the draft next Thursday, as New England looks to start the rebuilding process once again. If nothing else, we’ve learned that the Patriots are keeping their options open.

Zulgad: Drake Maye is a fit with Vikings due to their approach

Drake Maye is a fit within a lot of teams looking for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft but the Vikings could be the perfect fit.

In a quarterback draft class that is considered one of the deepest in recent years, Drake Maye might be the most polarizing in the group. Once considered the second-best QB behind USC’s Caleb Williams, many have given that spot to LSU’s Jayden Daniels and have dropped Maye to third or, in some cases, behind Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

Listen to the concerns about Maye, about his foot work, about his mechanics, and it makes sense that if he’s thrown into a starting role on Day 1 for a team such as the nowhere-close-to-competing New England Patriots that the quarterback from North Carolina could be set up for failure.

The Carolina Panthers thought so highly of Bryce Young last year that they traded what turned out to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and plenty more, to the Chicago Bears for the right to select him. The Panthers handed Young the keys to the car and little else. The result was a 2-15 finish and a rookie season that has many thinking he might be a bust. Is that all Young’s fault? No.

So how can Maye avoid the same fate?

By going to a team with a good infrastructure. A franchise that has a coaching staff in place that can develop him, be patient with him and, when they do play him, give him a supporting cast that puts him in a position to succeed.

That’s why bringing Maye to Minnesota makes a lot of sense. The only question is whether Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can trade up high enough to take Maye and whether he is willing to pay the Patriots’ asking price.

It’s no secret the Vikings want to move up in the first round of next Thursday’s draft and Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf said his team is “open for business” to trade the No. 3 pick. Wolf also said he would be comfortable staying at three and taking a quarterback.

Wolf, 42, is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf and certainly understands the Patriots have many needs that could begin to be addressed by acquiring multiple picks, including a couple of first-rounders (the Vikings have picks 11 and 23).

Meanwhile, Maye appears to have many skills that Vikings coach and former NFL quarterback Kevin O’Connell would like to have from a young QB who is under team control at a reasonable rate on a five-year rookie contract.

O’Connell hired another former NFL quarterback, Josh McCown, as his coach for that position in February. McCown knows plenty about Maye’s plusses and minuses, having helped to coach him at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C., and reuniting the two makes a lot of sense.

The Vikings certainly have pressure to win, but one has to think that O’Connell and McCown would also be well aware that forcing Maye to start as a rookie could be a mistake. O’Connell was a third-round pick of the Patriots in 2008, and although he never became a starter, he has firsthand knowledge of where mistakes were made in helping him develop.

McCown was in the NFL for 18 seasons and started 76 of the 102 games in which he appeared. He also got valuable experience serving as the quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers last season. McCown was one of the assistants who was fired, along with coach Frank Reich, in late November and saw what Young went through starting for a terrible team.

The Vikings already have created a security plan by signing 2018 third-overall pick Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal to help replace Kirk Cousins. The New York Jets drafted Darnold- a franchise that has done little right in recent years- and started as a rookie. He lasted three seasons with the Jets before playing two years in Carolina and then serving as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers last season.

McCown was the backup to Darnold in 2018 and watched the rookie struggle in playing 13 games during a 4-12 season. If O’Connell, McCown, and, even Darnold agree on one thing, it likely would be the fact that it’s far better to develop a quarterback than rush him and risk ruining him

It will be worth it if that means a season of Darnold starting and Maye learning. It’s more important that if the Vikings do trade up and draft a quarterback, especially a guy like Maye, they get the pick right for the long term. Patience might not sit well with the fan base, but if the end result is postseason success for years to come, no one will be complaining.

If season started today, this would be Patriots starting left tackle

The Patriots clearly have a plan at left tackle, per de facto GM Eliot Wolf

We may have gotten a preview of the New England Patriots starting left tackle position for the upcoming season.

When speaking with the media at a pre-draft press conference on Thursday, director of scouting Eliot Wolf indicated Chukwuma Okorafor would be the starting left tackle if the season started today.

Okorafor was signed by the Patriots on March 7 as a means to adding additional offensive line depth. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2018-2023, playing in 77 games with 59 starts.

He was released by the Steelers organization in February.

The Patriots could still acquire tackle depth with the NFL draft a week away. They have several holes to fill, and offensive tackle is definitely one of them.

This could signal that Okorafor is in line for a big role with the organization next season. There is still some work to be done, but it would seem as if the organization at least has a plan for the position.

Patriots yet to receive high enough trade offer for No. 3 pick, per exec

The Patriots still haven’t received the offer they’d be looking for in a possible trade down scenario at No. 3

The New England Patriots might be “open for business” in the 2024 NFL draft, but they have yet to receive the offer they’re looking for to trade the No. 3 overall pick, per director of scouting and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf.

There have been plenty of speculation and reporting that it could take a king’s ransom to get them to move backwards. NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran even suggested it could take “a lot more” than three first-round draft picks.

It makes sense considering the Patriots have a serious need at quarterback, and the value of drafting a player like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, who both could easily be the No. 1 overall pick, is through the roof right now.

The Minnesota Vikings have often been a team mentioned in the trade talks considering they have the No. 11 and No. 23 draft picks, along with a clear need at quarterback.

But it’ll obviously take much more than those two picks to move up that high. One has to wonder if the Patriots would be eyeing All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson as well in that deal, which the Vikings could view as a no-go.

Unless a team like the Vikings is willing to break the bank, the Patriots could be comfortable walking away from the trade table altogether and getting their future franchise quarterback. They don’t need to trade, but they’d clearly consider it if a potential partner makes it worth their while.

Patriots exec says draft trade talks ‘ongoing’ with other teams

The Patriots are “open for business” in draft trade talks, per team executive Eliot Wolf

The New England Patriots are “open for business” when it comes to potential trades at the 2024 NFL draft.

When speaking with the media at a pre-draft press conference on Thursday, Patriots director of scouting and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf claimed trade discussions were “ongoing” with other teams.

The Patriots currently hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, which should generate plenty of trade interest from teams hoping to move up the board for a quarterback. Granted, New England also desperately needs a quarterback, and the price to get them to do a deal could sky rocket.

One has to also wonder if the Patriots would consider trading back up into the first round with the No. 34 overall pick in the second round. Being open for business doesn’t just mean trading down. There will also be opportunities for Wolf and company to be aggressive and move up as well.

The Patriots have a rare opportunity to select one of the top quarterback prospects on the draft board.

Their willingness to dangle the biggest need on their roster out their like a carrot on a stick creates a heightened level of intrigue and concern a week out from one of the biggest nights in franchise history.

WR Kendrick Bourne praises approach of Patriots’ new front office

Kendrick Bourne had positive reviews of how the Patriots’ new front office is being run

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne had a glowing review of de facto general manager Eliot Wolf in a recent interview. The veteran wide receiver praised Wolf for his fairness and ability to connect with the players.

Bourne has seen it all as a member of the Patriots.

He first came to the organization in 2021 and was an immediate impact player. He tallied 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns in his first season.

In 2023, he was leading the team in receiving yards until a knee injury brought an early end to his year. But after signing a new three-year, $19.5 million extension, he figures to be a major part of the offense once again in 2024.

The wideout spoke with the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan about the differences between Wolf and the previous regime.

“He’s just treating everybody fairly, giving everybody opportunity,” said Bourne, when appearing on the “Pats Interference Football Podcast.” “Bringing guys in, not just because, you know—you drop a pass and you don’t get an opportunity next week. I think he’s going to help and try to understand. They have their own meetings, but I think they’re going to have people get the opportunities they deserve.

“Not having them prove it every single day, every single week. We are going to struggle. Everybody is up and down. One week, you might have a great week. One week, you might not. But I think he’s going to believe in us in a different way than it has been in the past.”

There has been a ton of talk in regards to how this particular Patriots front office will run things differently from Bill Belichick, and how the vibe itself will be different.

It seems as though the players are buying into that sentiment as well.

Report: Patriots executive given personnel control in New England

The Patriots reportedly have their leading man in the front office

The New England Patriots might not have a general manager by title, but they have reportedly given the job responsibilities to a front office executive. Per the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, director of scouting Eliot Wolf is now in charge of the personnel decisions in New England.

Wolf, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, followed in his father’s footsteps with the Green Bay Packers.

He worked his way up the ladder from a pro personnel assistant to director of football operations, before finally landing an assistant general manager job for the Cleveland Browns. After spending two years in Cleveland, he jumped ship to New England and continued to ascend the ranks under former coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick.

With Belichick now gone, Eliot Wolf was ultimately chosen as the one to take over the personnel decisions.

Matt Groh was believed to be another internal candidate, but he might have flown too close to the sun with Belichick. Unlike Groh, Wolf didn’t cut his teeth in New England, and he can bring different ideas and a fresh perspective that the team desperately needs right now.

The Patriots needed a drastic shift in their personnel decision-making philosophy, and they could potentially get it with Wolf at the helm.

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4 scenarios could make Patriots pass on drafting QB with No. 3 pick

Is there any scenario where the Patriots would actually pass on drafting a QB? Patriots Wire’s Cam Garrity explores four possibilities.

After a 4-13 finish to the 2023 season, the New England Patriots are selecting third overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Most are expecting them to take a quarterback with the pick, but they could just as easily go in an entirely different direction. There’s no sugar-coating the fact that they are not a good football team. The defense was in the top-10 in the NFL, but it’s an offensive-centric league now.

With an offense that has been near the bottom in the last few seasons, they need a hard reset.

The Patriots recently named Alex Van Pelt as their offensive coordinator. Van Pelt has virtually a blank canvas to come in and shape his offense. With no roster commitments in terms of draft capital used in recent years, or bad contracts, the Patriots could theoretically wipe the slate clean.

I do not think that will be the case, but the option will be there for them do so if they see fit. Let’s take a look at some scenarios that could keep the Patriots from taking a quarterback with the No.3 pick.

Patriots could reportedly target OT with No. 3 draft pick, if this happens

There are no guarantees the Patriots will draft a quarterback with the No. 3 pick

Most have assumed the New England Patriots will be targeting a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. But given the team’s great draft positioning and lucrative salary cap situation, they could also choose to go in a different direction.

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe pointed to the possibility of the team selecting an offensive tackle with the No. 3 pick, especially if director of scouting Eliot Wolf is given the reins for personnel decisions.

Howe wrote:

In-house candidates Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh have also been under consideration. If it’s Wolf running the show, expect the Patriots to give a long, hard look at drafting a left tackle with the No. 3 pick.

Wolf could potentially be the leading in-house candidate to take over as general manager.

The Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi noted in a previous report that Wolf is an alluring candidate for the Patriots due to the fact that he isn’t a Bill Belichick guy. Unlike Matt Groh, who worked his way up under the former Patriots head coach, Wolf cut his teeth in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.

Offensive tackle is one of the biggest areas of need on the roster for the Patriots, and they would be in a position to select either Notre Dame’s Joe Alt or Penn State’s Olu Fashanu. Neither would be an exciting pick on paper, but both could prove to be what the Patriots need most right now.

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Where things stand currently with Patriots’ GM plans

How the Patriots plan to move forward without a general manager in place

The New England Patriots lost both a head coach and a general manager the moment they moved on from Bill Belichick.

Ever since announcing Jerod Mayo as the new head coach, the team has been in scramble mode conducting interviews and looking to fill positions on the coaching staff with no single individual in charge of the front office.

During Mayo’s introductory press conference, owner Robert Kraft explained it would be a collaborative effort with the personnel decisions. The two key individuals in the decision-making is expected to be director of player personnel Matt Groh and director of scouting Eliot Wolf.

However, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, via NESN’s Dakota Randall, Wolf is believed to be the one that will eventually run the front office.

Giardi wrote:

Some external and internal sources believe Elliott Wolf will eventually be the choice to run the front office. However, it remains unlikely that he’ll get the title of general manager. He has established an excellent relationship with the Krafts and appeals to them partly because he didn’t grow from the Belichick tree. Wolf has filled several roles during his career, including scouting for the Green Bay Packers (while working under his father, legendary GM Ron Wolf) and aiding Mayo in his coordinator search.

It’s no surprise that the Patriots would be looking to get away from the Belichick model of drafting and signing players, considering that’s been the biggest issue for the team.

Despite Belichick’s ability to still coach at a high level, he had far too many misfires with the personnel decisions, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, to the point where he wasn’t able to overcome them on the football field. The Patriots probably aren’t looking to run that back with Groh.

Perhaps Wolf is the best internal option to provide new direction for an organization that desperately needs it.

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