The Patriots 2024 season wasn't expected to be a good one, but there was some hope that things would thrive under the new regime led by head coach Jerod Mayo. The addition of Eliot Wolf as the team's general manager also brought optimism for the roster, which had been lackluster for a number of years under Bill Belichick.
A disappointing free agency followed by a draft class that most weren't thrilled about outside of Drake Maye brought on concerns about the team's future and whether Robert Kraft made the right decisions in who he chose to hire for the post-Belichick era.
Things have only gone downhill since the season began, and the Patriots go into Week 15 with a 3-10 record.
It has prompted calls for almost every coach's job at the end of the season, with an emphasis on Mayo. But many fans have also expressed their desire to see Wolf relieved of his duties, making the latest update from NFL insider Albert Breer not what those fans want to hear.
Albert Breer doesn't believe Robert Kraft will make many personnel changes next offseason
Despite an overwhelmingly poor season led by a lackluster roster and plenty of blame to go around, Breer reported that it's unlikely Kraft will move on from Wolf after just one season due to the difficulty in judging a general manager's job in that short period of time.
“I don’t think general managers are judged in one-year snapshots. I just think there are too many ebbs and flows to personnel acquisition. Like, drafts, you have a good year, you have a bad year — that’s everybody in the NFL. It’s too hard to judge a guy on one draft or one free agent period, and I think you have to give him more time than that.”
Additionally, Breer hit the nail on the head with another belief regarding Kraft's thoughts on potential personnel changes, including the firing of Mayo; owners don't want to admit they were wrong with the people they hired for important positions like general manager and head coach.
“I also think there’s this element of it, and I think this applies to Jerod Mayo too: Sometimes it’s hard for owners to admit they were wrong."
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that's the truth, and it won't be any different from Kraft, who has repeatedly stated how much he wanted Mayo to succeed Belichick. He even claimed to have made that decision five years ago. Furthermore, his respect for Wolf's father and Eliot's experience with the Patriots beginning in 2020 probably means Kraft won't give up on him yet, either.
It's a decision that won't sit well with a subset of fans who have been screaming from the rooftops that serious personnel changes need to happen next offseason.
While things can certainly change at the snap of the fingers, Breer's latest update is a warning for those with high hopes to temper their expectations and focus on the things that will happen, like big roster additions and an exciting future with Maye.