Patriots coach Mike Vrabel hints at front office’s future, Eliot Wolf’s role in press conference
FOXBORO — Mike Vrabel didn’t come out and say it.
But over his introductory press conference Monday, Vrabel did mention Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf six times, and in doing so hinted at a future where Wolf keeps a leadership role in the team’s front office. However, Vrabel stopped short of declaring who will have roster control, as the franchise continues to reshape under his leadership over the coming weeks and months.
“I’m just excited to sit down with Eliot and his staff,” Vrabel said. “I’ve met more with Eliot over the weekend than I have — I’ve had conversations with him, but I need to sit down with his staff and figure out where we’re at, what we need to do. I’m confident that those types of decisions are all going to sort themselves out.”
Reportedly, Vrabel intends to bring ex-Titans executive and Giants personnel advisor Ryan Cowden into the Patriots’ front office. Last year, Cowden was Vrabel’s top choice to he his general manager, had he been offered a head-coaching job after getting fired in Tennessee. The NFL Network reported after Vrabel’s press conference that Cowden is expected to join the Patriots and work under Wolf.
Cowden just completed his 25th season working in NFL front. He spent the past two seasons in New York, and before that served as the Titans’ vice president of player personnel from 2018-2022 and Tennessee’s director of player personnel from 2016-17. Cowden originally entered the scouting ranks in Carolina, where he worked for 16 years.
Vrabel didn’t confirm any reports related to Cowden Monday.
“Eliot and I will have conversations. As it relates to the staff, nothing’s been finalized, nothing’s been determined,” Vrabel said. “As with any staff, there’s going to be turnover. There’s going to be new coaches and new faces, some that I will have history with and some that I won’t. That’s what the interview process is, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Last week, after firing former head coach Jerod Mayo, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said Wolf and senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith would remain with the organization. Wolf and Highsmith helped lead the team’s head-coaching search, which was the NFL’s briefest this cycle and included just three in-person interviews. Wolf, for now, remains atop the front office, which began leading a year ago. Officially, he was promoted last May.
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Kraft also indicated his next head coach would influence the team’s roster decisions.
“Obviously, he’s going to have big input on who the players are and who the coaches are,” Kraft said. “It’ll be his decision.”
In addressing the future of the personnel department, Vrabel emphasized a “shared organizational vision” for how the team will be built and operate on a day-to-day basis. He also sounded open to differing viewpoints on how the Patriots can arrive at said vision.
“I’m embracing that everyone’s going to have a different personality. I don’t want my staff to be like me. I don’t want all our players to be similar. We’re going to have diverse ideas, and that’s critical,” Vrabel said. “And to be able to have those types of conversations is something I’m looking forward to.”
Wolf and Highsmith were both present for Monday’s press conference, as was director of player personnel Matt Groh.