NFL Expert: Patriots 'Likely' Hiring External General Manager; Candidates?

Even with free agency and the NFL Draft around the corner, the New England Patriots have yet to hire a new general manager.

The New England Patriots have half of their new-look organizational structure in place with the hiring of coach Jerod Mayo to replace Bill Belichick. But they have yet to announce who will replace Belichick in his other duty as the general manager. 

Despite it now going on four weeks since Belichick mutually parted ways with the franchise, a recent report from The Athletic's Jeff Howe has revealed that the search for a new general manager seemingly hasn't gotten any closer to bearing fruit.

"Head coach Jerod Mayo began reaching out to candidates shortly after he was hired," Howe writes about the Patriots search. "It seems likely a new voice will be added to the personnel department, but that role or title is still anyone’s guess. In-house candidates Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh have also been under consideration."

Who will join new head coach Jerod Mayo as general manager of the New England Patriots? / ClutchPoints

With the final part of the NFL Draft evaluation process already underway, as the Reese's Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl have already wrapped up, where is the Patriots' urgency? 

It seems they are content with allowing Eliot Wolf, their current director of scouting, and Matt Groh, director of player personnel, to continue running the scouting department. After all, as Howe reported, those two are in the running to land the job, which could make them the first official general manager the Patriots have had since before the Bill Parcells era. 

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Yet, if the Patriots are truly leaning toward adding a "new voice" to the personnel department, then why not go ahead and have that person in place in plenty of time for free agency and the NFL Draft?

The delay has nothing to do with a lack of interest. Howe noted that the position of general manager in New England is a "attractive" one. It just seems the Patriots are taking their time because of the importance of getting the hire right. 

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