Eliot Wolf is now the top man on the totem poll when it comes to decision-making on the Patriots roster.
With recent reports suggesting he’ll have the ‘final say’ on personnel decisions, it appears Wolf will have the most important voice in the war room during the upcoming NFL Draft.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, a guest on the “Eye on Foxborough” podcast, shared some insights on Wolf, and how things might run differently from when de facto general manager Bill Belichick ran the show.
BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS
STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org.
“I think Eliot Wolf is going to be a breath of fresh air for Patriots fans because Belichick, for as great as he was, I think at some point, I just think the circle was too tight. And, I don’t think (he) took enough input in from other places,” said Zierlein. “The autocracy became an issue because I don’t think there was a collision of ideas that demanded arguments and well-thought out challenges in the draft room. And when you don’t have that, when you don’t have a healthy dosage of combat in there to fight for players, and go watch tape together, you really miss out.
“You get stuck in a one-man show. I think that’s what happened. (Belichick) would famously take players where he wanted to. He didn’t care about everyone else. Well, I think the best way to run a draft, is to have a feel for where these guys can go, and maneuver around with an understanding of where players are potentially slotted, because that gives you the best chance to put the best draft together.”
A critical draft lies ahead for the Patriots. They have the No. 3 pick and a mountain of needs. How they attack the draft without Belichick for the first time in 24 years will be interesting to see.
“Eliot Wolf is a guy who has … I think he’s going to have a feel for what the rest of the league may do which is something I think has been missing … not to mention, (the Patriots) just didn’t evaluate great over the last several years,” said Zierlein. “But having a feel for how the draft may fall, there’s nothing wrong with that. Because it gives you a chance to move up and down draft, and maybe pick better players, frankly, than what we’ve seen from New England over the last few years.”
Zierlein said Wolf, who is the son of Green Bay’s Ron Wolf, the GM of three Super Bowl championship teams with the Packers, is likely to follow his dad’s model for success in the draft.
“I can tell you Eliot Wolf is a big believer, or, I know Green Bay was, and his dad (Ron) was, at finding the best players,” said Zierlein. “Go get good players to put on your roster, and don’t worry about the positions, because good players help you win championships.”
NFL fans can wager online on Massachusetts sports betting with enticing promo codes from top online sportsbooks. Use the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo code for massive new user bonuses.
