The New England Patriots have unveiled a surprising strategy for selecting their next general manager after Bill Belichick’s departure.
This offseason is crucial for the team, with the third overall pick and the third-highest salary cap space in the NFL. The opportunity to turn their fortunes around lies in securing a franchise talent, making impactful draft selections, and strategic moves in free agency.
Despite the significant decisions on the horizon, the Patriots seem unhurried about naming a new general manager. ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested that they might even wait until after the draft to fill the position.
Following Belichick’s departure, Jerod Mayo was promoted to head coach, but the plan to replace Belichick as the de facto general manager remains undisclosed.
Here’s what I’m told on the Patriots front-office situation…
They are not expected to bring in a new general manager. It’s anticipated by team sources that both Matt Groh and Eliot Wolf will remain with the Patriots and have prominent roles in personnel.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) January 13, 2024
The Patriots have a history of promoting from within, and their tendency to rely on former players and familiar faces may continue with the next GM. The recent elevation of Mayo, who has only coached with the team, reinforces this trend. The decision to retain Matt Groh and Eliot Wolf, the current directors of player personnel and scouting, respectively, is raising eyebrows, considering the team’s lack of talent and recent draft struggles.
Interestingly, the Krafts, the team owners, seem to attribute the team’s struggles to Belichick by singling him out for removal from the player personnel department evaluation. While it’s acknowledged that head coach and de facto GM roles are intertwined, holding Belichick solely responsible for roster issues feels like a scapegoat move. With Belichick’s controlling influence diminishing, there’s speculation that owner Kraft may become more involved in personnel decisions, though not to the extent of a Jerry Jones-like role.
It’s worth noting that, under the Krafts’ ownership, no Patriots executive has held the title of general manager, indicating that this tradition may persist in the foreseeable future.
Leave a Reply