The New England Patriots have been in no rush to hire a general manager, and they may not hire one at all this year.
Sources tell CBS Sports the Patriots have made no moves to interview any external candidate for their vacant primary football executive position in the wake of Bill Belichick’s departure. The team hasn’t had a general manager in title since Belichick took over, and that may continue in 2024 as the team’s personnel group is now captained by Eliot Wolf.
League rules would allow for the Patriots to keep that position vacant all season long, thus not having to interview anyone for the spot. Team owner Robert Kraft has strongly suggested they’re going to roll in the short-term with the personnel members they have.
“We have a lot of people internally who have had a chance to train and learn under the greatest coach of all time and a man whose football intellect is very special,” Kraft said last month. “So, in the short-term, we’re looking for collaboration. Our team has a tremendous opportunity to position itself right, given our salary cap space, and we’ve never drafted, in my 30 years of ownership, we’ve never been drafting as [high] as we’re drafting.
“So we’re counting on our internal people, whom we’re still learning and evaluating. So we’re going to let that evolve and develop, and before the key decisions have to be made, we will appoint someone.”
When Jerod Mayo ascended to the head-coaching position in New England, he got Belichick’s old title, but not all his power. Belichick was the team’s “primary football executive,” a designation with the NFL league office that informs everyone who is at the top of the football chart. In Dallas, it’s owner Jerry Jones. In New Orleans, it’s EVP and general manager Mickey Loomis. In Kansas City, it’s GM Brett Veach.
In New England, according to sources, it’s nobody.
And while Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh was…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/patriots-may-not-make-any-moves-to-fill-vacant-gm-job-this-year-in-wake-of-bill-belichicks-departure/
Author : Jonathan Jones
Publish date : 2024-02-10 13:01:44
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