Patriots/NFL 2024 Off Season: Free Agency, Draft Part II

[Smitty93]

Eliot Wolf has no job security and very little power to go against them because the Krafts' decided not to name a gm in the most important off-season for the team in years. Even if it's unanimous from Wolf to the scouts that they don't think the qbs on the board are worth the 3rd pick and the value is in trading it for a haul, Kraft has made sure he has almost all of the power for the decision.

This is really it. Most team owners probably sign off on top picks. Difference is that it's usually a formality when the coach/GM have organizational power, but neither Mayo nor Wolf have that. If the Krafts disagree with the pick, they won't hesitate to veto it.

And as much as I think the Krafts will screw this up, it may be our best chance at getting Maye. The fanbase will revolt if McCarthy is the pick at #3.

 

[GatorMike]

Maybe they need to spend some money and bring someone in then, because negotiating the business side and making draft/franchise altering decisions shouldn’t be made by someone who’s never done it.

Possible that they really like Eliot Wolf, but are also aware of the fact that he's still a relatively young executive and want to make sure that his first high-stakes negotiations goes well.

Eliot Wolf has no job security and very little power to go against them because the Krafts' decided not to name a gm in the most important off-season for the team in years. Even if it's unanimous from Wolf to the scouts that they don't think the qbs on the board are worth the 3rd pick and the value is in trading it for a haul, Kraft has made sure he has almost all of the power for the decision.

The guy who signs the checks always has almost all of the power.

 

[BernieMcAvoy]

The guy who signs the checks always has almost all of the power.

You aren't wrong but most gms who are under contract do have some level of power and security to make the decisions they think is best for the football team. Can we say Eliot Wolf has that even if he says on the record the final decision is his? Not naming a gm for the biggest free agency and draft in two decades after they fired a control freak like Belichick feels deliberate.

 

[GatorMike]

You aren't wrong but most gms who are under contract do have some level of power and security to make the decisions they think is best for the football team. Can we say Eliot Wolf has that even if he says on the record the final decision is his? Not naming a gm for the biggest free agency and draft in two decades after they fired a control freak like Belichick feels deliberate.

I'm not sure there's a GM in any sport that could trade away a Top 5 draft pick without getting ownership approval/input.

 

[BernieMcAvoy]

I'm not sure there's a GM in any sport that could trade away a Top 5 draft pick without getting ownership approval/input.

Of course they couldn't, but if the trade down is even a scenario in the first place, it means the people whose job is to evaluate these players don't think the qbs on the board are good enough for the position. In that case the owner should be allowing the actual football people to make the football decisions.


Some of it will be the media playing the game, but i feel like when there's smoke there's fire. If the Patriots knew they were guaranteed a qb they believed in at number 3, the rumors of a trade involving the 3rd pick would be shut down by the week of the draft. Instead you have national reporters with ambiguous tweets and mentioning someone that fans have been assured doesn't want to be involved in football decisions being heavily involved in the decision making.

 

[GatorMike]

Of course they couldn't, but if the trade down is even a scenario in the first place, it means the people whose job is to evaluate these players don't think the qbs on the board are good enough for the position.

I'm not sure I agree with that premise.

I think it's possible that the Patriots could like Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy... and still think there's a possibility that a team could offer them enough value to make a trade down or a trade out worth it.

 

[GatorMike]

If you've got some time, this is a pretty good watch:

 

[Elvis P]

NFL Draft: Would QB-needy Patriots actually trade down from No. 3?

There's bountiful recent precedent for trading the third overall pick. Question is, does New England fit the model of those teams?

sports.yahoo.com

 

[EverettMike]

Heads up for round 1: If the Commanders take Jayden Daniels second overall and the Pats are on the clock please dial "9-1" in case they don't draft Maye and you need to get me help.

 

[GatorMike]

 

[EverettMike]

If this is true it means they don't really believe in either Maye or Daniels, right? Because if they only believed in one of them they'd wait until draft night to see which one is available at 3 rather than just be unhappy with offers so far.

 

[Smitty93]

If this is true it means they don't really believe in either Maye or Daniels, right? Because if they only believed in one of them they'd wait until draft night to see which one is available at 3 rather than just be unhappy with offers so far.

My read on the situation:

The football guys (Wolf, Mayo, etc) don't love the value of using #3 on the available QBs. They're fine with trading down and taking Penix or whoever. (Similar to how they were fine with waiting for Mac to be there at #15 in 2021, and not trade up for him). Ownership (Krafty Bob and Nepo Son #1) won't let them pass up Daniels or Maye unless the trade offer is so absurd that the story of the draft is how the Patriots committed the heist of the century. (Backed by the stories of three 1sts not being enough. A deal that makes the Trey Lance and RGIII trades look cheap in comparison)

That's why we get all of these stories about the offers not being good enough or "laughable". Because Wolf is in desperation mode, basically begging for someone to send an offer good enough to let him trade down. He wants the official GM job, but he's not going to get it unless the Krafts are happy with what happens on Thursday, and they're desperate for some good PR.

 

[PatriceBergeron]

Odds shot up for Jayden Daniels to go #2 from -115 a few days ago to -400 today.

Seems like someone knows something and we will get our chance to take Maye. Please don’t screw this up.

 

[LSCII]

I don't want McCarthy either.

I think the top 3 QBs are pretty set, with Williams being a tier above Daniels and Maye. I put Penix in a tier of his own under them.

The rest I couldn't care about. I don't think JJ is anything special, and certainly not a top 10 pick.

I would bet large amounts of money that all will be busts, especially Williams.

 

[PatriceBergeron]

I would bet large amounts of money that all will be busts, especially Williams.

I wasn’t a huge Williams fan in college, but Chicago is just about as good of a situation a guy going #1 can go to. DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and probably Rome Odunze with a defense that started to look great the last two months of the season is pretty perfect for him. I’m kind of expecting him to be good just based off the situation.

Same for whoever goes to Minnesota. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson have a chance to make someone like JJ McCarthy actually look decent.

 

[GatorMike]

Out of curiosity, what would it take from the Giants to convince you to move from #3 to #6?

I'd say you'd more than likely miss out on both Maye and McCarthy, but you'd still be in a position to have two of MHJr, Malik Nabers, or Joe Alt on the board.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Out of curiosity, what would it take from the Giants to convince you to move from #3 to #6?

I'd say you'd more than likely miss out on both Maye and McCarthy, but you'd still be in a position to have two of MHJr, Malik Nabers, or Joe Alt on the board.

I would say a 2 and 3 this year and 2 next year min.. 1-3 are the power seats

 

[Smitty93]

Out of curiosity, what would it take from the Giants to convince you to move from #3 to #6?

I'd say you'd more than likely miss out on both Maye and McCarthy, but you'd still be in a position to have two of MHJr, Malik Nabers, or Joe Alt on the board.

Giants would never do it, but if I could get their 2025 1st, I'd have to seriously think about it.

 

[BernieMcAvoy]

Jets had to trade 6, 37, 49 and a 2nd in the next draft to move up to 3 when they drafted Sam Darnold.


Giants had 6, 39, 47 and their 2nd next year until they traded 39 for Burns and ruined my idea of what i would want from them. 6, 47 and 2025 first rounder must be a similar kind of value. Giants schedule looks rough and they kind of suck too so that pick could be high up in the first round.

 

[BernieMcAvoy]

 

[GatorMike]

Delete this before @EverettMike sees it.

 

[EverettMike]

Delete this before @EverettMike sees it.

It sent me into a spiral last night.

 

[HustleB]

Y'all realize that Justin Jefferson is a free agent after this season, and he may or may not be interested in sticking around through a rebuilding project... right?

You wouldn't do it without an understanding of a contract extension. I think he wants the contract and would say yes.

 

[CDJ]

I’m getting so ready to have my heart broken and having to hope for the best with JJ

The only thing keeping me sane is the -330 line on Maye being pick 3

 

[smithformeragent]

Long snapper: 7th round pick for your New England Patriots.