FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and the NFL:
1. Wolf's debut: Patriots scouting director Eliot Wolf is scheduled to answer questions from reporters Tuesday at the 2024 NFL Combine, which is important for multiple reasons.
It highlights Wolf's changing role as the lead voice of the personnel department, with the Patriots transitioning from the Bill Belichick era in which Belichick had final say on personnel for most of his 24-year tenure. It also marks Wolf's first official interview since he initially joined the team as an advisor in 2020.
So what should Patriots fans know about the 41-year-old Wolf?
Andrew Brandt, who was vice president of the Packers from 1999 to 2008 when Wolf was in the early years of his full-time career as a scout, begins with a story that further solidified his belief in Wolf's acumen.
“I'm a big Eliot fan. Every now and then I'd stop by his office and ask him what he was looking at, and once [in 2006] I remember him saying, 'I want to show you someone.' Tomorrow we'll take this guy in the second round: Greg Jennings, a receiver from Western Michigan. And I said, 'Really? Are we going to take a guy from Western Michigan in the second round? And Eliot kept saying that he hoped not to go before then,” Brandt recounted.
“Then he showed me the tape and pointed out the body control, the hands, the strength. And he felt there was no doubt that it would transfer to the [NFL]”.
Jennings ended up being there at the 52nd pick, in part because the Patriots had made a trade with Green Bay to move up to the 36th pick and select underperforming Florida receiver Chad Jackson instead, and he played seven productive seasons for the Packers and was a key part of the 2010 Super Bowl champion team.
For Brandt, the story reflects a notable part of how Wolf is working to rebuild parts of the Patriots roster.
“I believed before, during and after [my tenure] Packer style, which in simplest terms is 'no quick fixes, slow and steady, trust your scouting, trust your board and almost demand that your coaches use young players,'” Brandt said. “So it's picking and develop, and then talking to my end [as a negotiator]“Once you identify those core players, get them to extensions well before free agency.”
Former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman met Wolf when he was the Packers' tight ends coach in 1997-98. He remembers Wolf being in the draft room with his father, general manager and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ron Wolf, and saying, “Learning from Ron, who I consider the best at that part.” of the business, [Eliot has] “He's been around this his whole life and I think he's benefited quite a bit from it.”
Sherman shared two important lessons from Ron Wolf that he carried with him throughout his career and that he believes will now carry over to New England.
“Of all the things I learned from [Ron], one of the most important was “don't hide your mistakes: admit it, correct it and move on.” I'm sure Eliot will adopt a similar type of philosophy,” Sherman said. “The other thing he would always talk about is the best player available, not necessarily what you might need. You may need something else, but it is not based on needs, but on ability. Overall, I think Ron Wolf did a good job living up to that.”
Both Brandt and Sherman see similarities in behavior and approach between father and son.
“Eliot gets along well with people, which is very important, being able to get the information you want from certain parties,” Sherman said. Brandt once recalled watching a movie while Ron Wolf leaned back in his chair. There was a kind of awkward silence before Wolf intervened.
“When he spoke, people listened. There was a lot of respect,” he said. “I could see Eliot having the same kind of approach of, 'Hey, we don't need to fill this space with a lot of words. This is what's important.' He has that calm, collected, reserved demeanor that exudes confidence.”
2. Media environment: First-year Patriots coach Jerod Mayo is making media relations a priority. After introducing coordinators Alex Van Pelt (offense), DeMarcus Covington (defense) and Jeremy Springer (special teams) at a news conference Wednesday, he joined 17 new members of his staff for an off-the-record meeting . with journalists to “vibrate and connect.”
Mayo, who along with all the staff members wore blue badges representing owner Robert Kraft's foundation to combat anti-Semitism, summed it up by saying, “I think there has to be a good relationship between the two groups.”
Jerod Mayo arrives and explains what today is about… and how he hopes the dynamic between coach and media will evolve. pic.twitter.com/x4XPf7VkBU
—Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 21, 2024
3. AVP in OL: For those who believe offensive success starts up front, where the Patriots finished last in the NFL in pass blocking success rate in 2023, what traits will first-year offensive coordinator Van Pelt prioritize in offensive linemen? He said he starts smart because of the team's plans to do a variety of things at the line of scrimmage. Van Pelt also highlighted the toughness, before adding: “We want guys who want to work for each other and care about each other. If you can work hard and love your brother, and be a good player, you'll fit right in.” here.”
4. Bourne again: Catcher Kendrick Bourne returned to Foxborough late last week so the team could monitor his recovery from a torn right ACL. Bourne is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, but sources said there have been no substantial talks for a contract extension at this time.
5. Change of 'niche': NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on a conference call last week that the Patriots have previously been “one of the most specialized draft teams in the league, where they caught you a little bit off guard because they were so obsessed with the fit and could take “One guy two or three rounds before anyone else.”
Jeremiah expects that to change in 2024 with Wolf taking on a leadership role, adding that Wolf came up through a Green Bay system that values versatile offensive linemen and receivers with dynamic yard-after-catch ability and added value as returners. of kicks
6. Guy/Phillips Follow-up: The Patriots' decision to release defensive tackle Lawrence Guy Sr. and safety Adrian Phillips early last week wasn't a surprise (it's a nod toward youth with some economic considerations in mind), but the timing was somewhat notable. . One agent saw it as a show of respect toward the two veterans, giving them a head start in free agency and allowing interested teams time to study them before a glut of players flooded the market.
7. Undefeated season: The first four parts of the Patriots documentary “The Dynasty” premiered on Apple TV in recent weeks, highlighting some key stories from the franchise's history throughout the 2007 season. That sets the stage for the next two episodes that will be released later this week, starting with the 2008 season and Tom Brady's torn ACL, and then possibly the most chilling part of the series: the drafting of Aaron Hernandez in 2010 and the subsequent murder. research surrounding it.
In episode 5, a peek behind the curtain from the team meeting room as the team embarked on the 2008 season, revealing a never-before-seen celebration/recognition of the undefeated 2007 regular season that ended in anguish at the Super Bowl. .
Bill Belichick told the players: “I know you've heard me say, 'Last year doesn't mean anything; we don't care about last year.' But I hope you never forget those 16 wins. I've gone 5-11. I've gone 7-9. Those are the seasons you want to forget, believe me. Not the 16-0 ones.”
Then, an excited Brady walked up to address the players.
It's scenes like that, spread throughout the 10 episodes, that are arguably the highlight of the documentary because they put viewers somewhere they wouldn't otherwise be able to go.
8. They said it: “We knew he wasn't the ideal citizen, but did we ever suspect that he would be a guy running around with guns and shooting people? No. Probably the best thing for Aaron Hernandez's professional football career and life would have been to leave. Seattle Seahawks, not being a two-hour drive from the people he grew up with in his hometown of Bristol [Connecticut].” — former Patriots director of football research Ernie Adams in the upcoming sixth episode of “The Dynasty”
9. Underrated LBs?: Former Patriots linebackers coach and defensive play-caller Steve Belichick's revealing interview on Chris Long's “Green Light” podcast, which covered topics from his father's possible plans to hiring Jerod Mayo as coach of the Patriots, highlighted his belief that New England's linebackers are underrated.
“It's a great group. There hasn't really been much talk about the guys, not that I hear that stuff,” Belichick said, referring to Ja'Whaun Bentley, Anfernee Jennings (“a great year”) and Jahlani Tavai (“a great stallion”), among others.
10. Did you know? There have been only four cases in the common draft era (since 1967) in which a team selected two quarterbacks among the top 15 overall picks in a four-year span.
The Bears and Patriots could potentially join the following group in 2024: Jets with Sam Darnold/Zach Wilson (2018/2021), Cardinals with Josh Rosen/Kyler Murray (2018/2019), Jaguars with Blaine Gabbert/Blake Bortles. (2011/2014) and the Colts with Art Schlichter/John Elway (1982/1983).
