The New England Patriots are in the early stages of a rebuild, but don't call them tankers.
In an interview with the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan, new Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf dismissed the idea that the club would ever tank.
"I think tanking cheats the game. (We) would never get in a situation where we think that's the right way to go," Wolf said. "That's not what the NFL is all about. That's not what pro football is all about, and that's not what we're gonna be about."
With the selection of quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriots believe they have the centerpiece of their future already in place, so any allegations of "tanking" would be lessened by the simple nature of the narrative. (Often, tanking talk comes when there is a perceived can't-miss quarterback, but less when the top target is another position.)
Even if they're not tanking, it could still be a struggle in Year 1 under Jerod Mayo. The offensive line has big question marks entering the season. The weaponry is young in the passing game. The defense should still be solid, but it, too, has some questions after the trade of Matt Judon.
Most prognostications have the Patriots picking in the top-5 yet again next spring.
The key for Wolf and the Pats this season is the development of Maye. He won’t start the season under center, but Wolf said he won't just be a bystander.
"We do have confidence in Drake," Wolf told Callahan. "It's not like we're just going to let him collect dust for the year. He's going to be out there in practice taking reps, he's going to take some reps with the (starters), he's going to take some reps on the scout team and continue to progress and develop in that regard."
Wolf added that when Maye sees the field would depend on "how the team's doing" and how Jacoby Brissett plays to open the season.
We'll get our first real look at exactly where the Patriots are in their rebuild on Sunday when they visit Cincinnati to kick off the 2024 campaign.
