INDIANAPOLIS — In his first press conference as the Patriots’ de facto GM, Eliot Wolf left no doubt.

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The Patriots plan to re-sign their best free agents, safety Kyle Dugger and right tackle Mike Onwenu, and may even use the franchise tag to keep them.

“I would say that all the options are on the table. We definitely want to keep Mike and Kyle,” Wolf said. “We’re hopeful to continue to work with with Kyle’s agent and Mike to make that happen.”

Tagging Dugger would cost $17.12 million, while Onwenu’s tag as an offensive lineman would check in at $20.98 million. Both of those figures exceed market projections for both players, though the Patriots are flush with cap space. The franchise tag is a single-use, roster-building tool available to every team every offseason; a designation that locks in one player to 1-year, guaranteed contract.

Wolf confirmed the Patriots have engaged in negotiations with both players, but declined to expound on those talks.

“We’ve had conversations,” he said. “I’ll keep whether they’re productive or not to myself.”

Onwenu fired his agents last week and reportedly has not hired new agents. It’s unclear why the 26-year-old changed representation, but Wolf said that would not change the team’s stance in negotiations.

“Mike’s a core player for us, and it’s no secret we want to try to keep Mike. It’ll just be a little bit of a wrinkle dealing with him,” he said. “Mike’s really smart and he’s introspective and he’s thoughtful. And he understands — he knows what he wants, which is always good when you’re dealing with a player. And he’s certainly someone that we view as a cornerstone for us.”

Wolf’s later comments cemented the notion that re-signing Onwenu is a priority for his front office. Asked about the Patriots’ new philosophy, he emphasized retaining “core performers,” like Onwenu.

“Draft and develop. Extend your core performers from within,” he said. “It’s about honesty, respect, and treating people the right way.”