Chances are there is some buyer’s remorse floating around at One Patriot Place.
No, not because of any Black Friday deals at Bass Pro Shops.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft might be second-guessing his decision to replace Bill Belichick with a two-man team of Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo, neither of whom served as the manager of their own department store beforehand. Wolf might be kicking himself for his noncompetitive roster receipts while Mayo might be saving the tags on his coaching staff.
With that in mind, along with the timely spirit of shopping, we’ve highlighted four returns the Patriots might be wishing they could make.
Eliot Wolf
The first-year executive vice president of player personnel is off to a rough start. Only Drake Maye — the third pick in a three-quarterback class — has carved out a role in New England’s rookie class. The wide receivers have failed to do anything and Wolf’s insinuation that Caedan Wallace could play left tackle clearly was misguided. Wolf also failed to address obvious needs on the offensive line, which headlines the talent-depleted roster. It’s one of the worst in the league. Sure, the rebuild was going to take some time. But this rebuild has looked worse than others. And let’s not forget the left tackle Wolf banked on (Chukwuma Okorafor) played 12 snaps before he walked away.
Jerod Mayo’s staff
The Patriots are a poorly coached football team. Mayo has made questionable in-game decisions and played a conservative brand of football. He’s also put his foot in his mouth more times than we can count with his mixed messaging. ‘What does he do well?’ is a popular question among fans. First-year defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington clearly is in over his head after taking over defensive duties from a combination of Bill Belichick, Steve Belichick and Mayo. New England’s defense has rapidly declined, especially after consecutive pantsings by Sean McVay and Mike McDaniel. It’s fair to wonder if Covington will return in 2025. Ironically, Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, the most maligned of anyone at the start, has taken fewer arrows since Maye’s debut. But is he definitely safe if a well-respected offensive coach (hint: Brian Daboll) becomes available? Who knows. The fact we’re asking these questions, though, tells you how they’ve looked this season.
Rookie wide receivers
Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker have been arguably the two of the biggest disappointments this season. Polk, a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has 12 catches on 30 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns. His reaction to struggles has been unprofessional, as well. Meanwhile, Baker barely sees the field for the Patriots — he played a season-high 11 snaps in Week 12. The fourth-rounder, who’s been in Mayo’s doghouse, has yet to catch a pass and recently lost his job as a kick returner. Sure, they’re young. But that hasn’t stopped rookie wideouts from producing in the past.
High-priced veteran signing
The Patriots signed Kyle Dugger to a four-year, $58 million contract extension in April. It was an understandable signing given Dugger’s importance to the defense during the Belichick era. But Dugger has not been worth that investment in eight starts this season. Dugger suffered an ankle injury in Week 4 and has been limited physically due to the ailment. At this point, though, he might be doing more harm than good. Dugger’s ability to diagnose what offenses are throwing at the Patriots, along with his communication, have been even more concerning. The 28-year-old safety is graded New England’s 28th defender, per Pro Football Focus, certainly not production worthy of the sixth-highest AAV in the league.
