It’s been a rough season for the Patriots, and Eliot Wolf deserves his fair share of blame.
New England selected Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which was a no-brainer. The rest of the draft class was a mixed bag.
A key part of the 2024 NFL Draft was a trade in the second round where the Patriots moved back three spots to take Ja’Lynn Polk. The transaction was made with the Los Angeles Chargers who selected Ladd McConkey. The sides also swapped late-round picks, one of which New England used to take Javon Baker. Even if you haven’t paid attention to Jim Harbaugh’s side this season, it’s safe to say Wolf didn’t get a strong return for his investment.
McConkey looks like a solid No. 1 receiver for Justin Herbert in his first season. The rookie caught 69 passes off 94 targets for 960 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games. On the other side, Polk and Baker struggled to earn playing time. The rookie pair combined for 12 receptions for 33 targets for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
All of that production was from Polk who played three snaps last Sunday as Baker failed to carve out a role through the majority of the season.
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Herbert played a key part in McConkey’s development. However, the Polk pick was questioned at the time and McConkey came into the 2024 NFL Draft with first-round talent. You can’t blame Patriots fans for wondering what the offense would be like with McConkey instead of Polk and Baker.
Bill Belichick earned a reputation for being a poor drafter of offensive talent. However, Wolf’s first season as executive vice president of player personnel didn’t prove to be that dramatically better.
The Patriots will get a close look at McConkey when the Patriots play the Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.
Featured image via Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images
