Patriots Rumors: Eliot Wolf 'Very Likely' to Get GM Role amid Eagles' Hunt Interview
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVMay 7, 2024
The New England Patriots are reportedly "very likely" to promote director of scouting Eliot Wolf to general manager, as ESPN's Jeff Darlington noted on Tuesday's SportsCenter.
Per that report, Wolf "was actually tasked with making the highest pick in the Robert Kraft era at No. 3 overall. That's because it is very likely Wolf will eventually be named the general manager of this team. The team, though, is conducting their general manager search because they also have to appease the Rooney Rule, which requires in-person interviews with at least two external candidates."
ESPN's Adam Schefter added Tuesday that the Patriots were reportedly interviewing Philadelphia Eagles director of scouting Brandon Hunt for their "lead personnel job."
Before joining the Patriots, Wolf rose through the ranks of the Green Bay Packers scouting department (2004-17), eventually becoming the team's director of football operations (2016-17). He then served as the Cleveland Browns' assistant general manager (2018-19) and became a consultant for the Patriots in 2020.
He served in that role for two seasons before becoming the director of scouting in 2022. When former head coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick parted ways with the Pats this offseason, Wolf was put in charge of leading the team at the 2024 NFL draft and selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick.
Once he was trusted with that important task, it seemed like a very real possibility that he would eventually be promoted to the de facto general manager position.
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow"I'd be stunned if was anybody but Eliot Wolf for the New England Patriots..<br><br>I can't imagine anybody other than him having the top position there" ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlbertBreer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMSLive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMSLive</a> <a href="https://t.co/jzcPZVMAnb">pic.twitter.com/jzcPZVMAnb</a>
NBC Sports Boston @NBCSBoston"I would be stunned if [Eliot Wolf] doesn't get the job. He is the overwhelming favorite" <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilAPerry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PhilAPerry</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/tomecurran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomecurran</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGiardi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikeGiardi</a> react to reports that the Patriots have begun their official search for the team's next head of football operations <a href="https://t.co/ewwwQFyjhn">pic.twitter.com/ewwwQFyjhn</a>
The fact that Wolf has emerged as the prohibitive favorite to earn the gig is possibly making it more difficult for the Patriots to bring in potential candidates for interviews. At least two such candidates have turned down interview requests:
Jonathan Jones @jjones9There is no confirmation that the Patriots have conducted an in-person interview with an external candidate for their de facto GM position. Sources across the league believe Eliot Wolf is the heavy favorite for the job and the Pats have gotten several interview rejections so far.
Albert Breer @AlbertBreerThe Patriots reached out to interview Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray for their primary football executive position, per sources, and Gray politely turned them down.<br><br>Eliot Wolf's the expected hire, but New England still has to satisfy NFL rules on interviews.
The Patriots have undergone huge turnover in recent years, from the departure of legendary quarterback Tom Brady in 2020 to Belichick's departure this offseason. The team has turned to Jerod Mayo at head coach, Drake Maye at quarterback (following the abject failure of the Mac Jones' era) and appears ready to hand the front-office reins to Wolf.
After three losing seasons in the past four years and a number of poor drafts that led to a distinct lack of talent on the roster, change was needed. A new era of Patriots football is underway.