The New England Patriots currently hold the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the man who’s going to be making that selection, Eliot Wolf, spoke publicly for the first time at the NFL Combine. Wolf’s clear focus on collaboration and development aligned perfectly with head coach Jerod Mayo’s sentiments. This synergy between Wolf and Mayo shows you the different approach within the organization, getting away from the more rigid ways of the old regime. “Certainly there’s more of an open, kind of, less hard-a** type vibe in the building,” Wolf said, describing the new culture under Mayo.
Beyond the X’s and O’s: Eliot Wolf Discusses the Patriots Cultural Shift
Eliot Wolf was clear about making a deliberate pivot towards building a younger, more dynamic team. He went so far as to say, “I think there’s going to be more reliance on playing young players.” This likely extends beyond the draft and into free agency as well. When they look at players on the market, age will play a factor in how aggressively the Patriots pursue players. They know this is a rebuild, and want players who will be a significant part of it.
This new direction isn’t without precedent. The Kansas City Chiefs, for instance, have been the youngest defense in the NFL for two consecutive years. Yet, somehow, they’ve been one of the top units in the league through that stretch. They were able to do it by hitting on their draft choices.
The Patriots already have a strong defense with some veteran leaders on that side of the ball, but that’s not to say that the offense couldn’t do something similar to what the Chiefs defense did. The offense needs an overhaul, and Wolf recognized that as well, saying, “We need to weaponize the offense.” They’re going to have to bring in quite a bit of firepower in order to do so. Weaponizing the worst-scoring offense in the league is going to take some weapons.
Wolf: “we need to weaponize the offense.”
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) February 27, 2024
Out With the Old, In With the New
Wolf’s deep roots in NFL scouting began with his father, Hall of Fame scout Ron Wolf. There’s no doubt he’s been influenced by his father’s approach. With this being his 30th combine at the age of 41, Wolf’s extensive experience is a testament to a lifetime spent in and around the game. He’s now trying to streamline the Patriots scouting process and make it easier for the scouts to order players according to their overall value. In a move to try and stray from recent Patriots drafts which left many underwhelmed, Eliot Wolf has introduced a revamped grading system.
“We changed the grading system. It’s a little bit more similar to what we did in Green Bay. The previous Patriots system was more, ‘this is what the role is’ and this is more kind of value-based,” Wolf explained. This change towards a more value-centric evaluation from his tenure with Green Bay puts the emphasis on getting the most out of draft picks and building from within with core players.
Marrying the Draft With Free Agency
The Patriots are in a prime position this offseason with a projected $80+ million in cap space – potentially exceeding $100 million with strategic roster moves. Wolf talked about the importance of marrying their draft strategies with their free agency strategies in an interview with Patriots Unfiltered co-hosts Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar. “I think it’s important to understand how it all marries up together. And really an important meeting that we’ve had so far is getting on the same page with the coaching staff and determining, ‘Alright, here’s where we are with our needs,’” Wolf noted. This type of approach underlines the importance of building a complete team, ensuring that free agency decisions complement draft picks.
As the Patriots navigate through this transition phase, the strategic shifts spearheaded by Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo will be under a microscope. Wolf’s insight that true progress begins with getting talent through the draft is a fresh (and welcomed) approach for the Patriots off-season. Armed with a new draft strategy and ample cap space, the Patriots are in the perfect position to change their trajectory in the coming months.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
