New Era, Old Mistake: Patriots Not Hiring General Manager?

Robert Kraft kicked off a new era in New England Patriots football swiftly this week. The moves he didn't make, though, could doom his franchise for years to come.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft needed just one day to hire Jerod Mayo to replace six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick. 

By parting ways with the future Hall-of-Fame head coach, Kraft seemed ready to usher in a new age of Patriots football. While Mayo is certainly a Belichick disciple, his unique approach to the way an organization can be built is one of the new ideas that could keep New England relevant in pro football. 

Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium / Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It seems, though, that when it comes to new ideas, Kraft isn't willing to stray too far from what he already has in the organization. 

ESPN reported Saturday that New England is in "no rush to hire a general manager. They might even wait until after the draft to hire a general manager."

The Patriots are expected to retain Matt Groh as director of player personnel and Eliot Wolfe as head of scouting. Both could be expected to run the front office operations until a potential general manager is hired after the draft - if the team decides to hire one at all. 

No matter if the team decides to forgo the hiring process entirely, or if they will make a decision following the draft, Kraft and the Patriots are making a massive mistake by not fully engaging in the "new ideas" era of the franchise. 

By keeping one foot in the status quo of the past, the more likely the Patriots are to be in this spot in the coming years - regardless of how good a coach Mayo turns out to be. 

Setting a rookie coach up for success means pairing him with the best possible people around him. Based on the poor drafting results of the past years with Wolfe and Groh in the same roles as before, it doesn't look like Mayo is being put in the best position to succeed in 2024. 

Patriots Schedule Official Mayo Introduction - Pats Tracker

General managers and front office leaders are important for the health of an organization. For over 20 years, Belichick was the face of everything to do with New England. 

Simply not looking for a replacement would be a foolish gesture by Kraft and a once-storied dynasty.

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