There were a lot of storylines surrounding the Patriots heading into their matchup with the Chargers on Sunday, with one of them being the performance of rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey. He had been touted as the ultimate Patriot throughout the draft process and looked like he would be the perfect addition to their receiving corps under Drake Maye.
Instead, the new regime traded back in the second round with the Chargers, who ended up selecting the Georgia alumni. The Patriots eventually took Washington's Ja'Lynn Polk, who has become an invisible part of the roster with not much belief of that changing any time soon.
That was hammered home further during Week 17, as McConkey is now on the books for 8/10 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was for 40 yards in the third quarter due to blown coverage by the secondary.
Herbert to Ladd McConkey for the 40-yard TOUCHDOWN.
— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2024
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That was the dagger in the heart of the Patriots organization since they were on the clock with McConkey still on the board for the taking.
The rookie has now broken the Chargers' records for receptions and receiving yardage, which was previously held by Keenan Allen, making the situation even worse for New England. It's a bad sign for the future of Eliot Wolf as the presumed general manager in Foxboro, as he is predominately responsible for the decision to trade back and pass on the thriving receiver.
Eliot Wolf's job status could be in more jeopardy than previously thought
Besides the obvious blunders the new regime has made, like their lackluster effort during free agency and some questionable decisions regarding the roster during the season, Wolf has mostly been under the radar regarding criticism of how the season has progressed.
Most of the heat has been laid upon Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, but seeing the rise of a guy like McConkey, who Wolf decided wasn't worthy of drafting, is not a great look for the budding GM who hopes to keep his job with the Patriots beyond the 2024 season.
While there is room to offer some grace since it was their first draft as the new staff, the 2024 draft class has been far from impressive, with only Drake Maye looking like a good decision. It's difficult to imagine that Robert Kraft feels completely comfortable allowing Wolf and others to lead them into the 2025 offseason, with crucial free agency and another draft on the docket, and a performance like this from McConkey is far from what the team needed this week.
It could ultimately result in Wolf being let go as soon as this week, or right as the season ends, something that happened with the Titans who were embarrassed by A.J. Brown after trading him to the Eagles.
Even if it doesn't happen immediately, Wolf seems likely to be included in the discussion surrounding the coaching staff's futures, especially since the 2025 offseason might be more pivotal to the organization's direction than this past year.