Eliot Wolf Says Patriots Won't Tank for 2025 NFL Draft Pick: 'Cheats the Game'

Despite expectations that the New England Patriots could be among the worst teams in the NFL in 2024, vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf has no interest in losing on purpose for a better draft pick.

Speaking to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra), Wolf said the following when asked about the prospect of tanking: "I think tanking cheats the game. [We] would never get in a situation where we think that's the right way to go. 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."

From 2001 to 2019 under the leadership of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, the Pats reached the playoffs 17 times and won six Super Bowls in 19 seasons.

However, life after Brady has proved difficult for New England, as the franchise has just one playoff appearance, no playoff wins and no AFC East titles in four seasons since he left to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Last season was the Patriots' worst since going 2-14 in 1992, as they finished 4-13, which led directly to the organization parting ways with Belichick.

The Pats now have a fresh, new perspective on the sidelines with head coach Jerod Mayo, but they face an uphill climb in terms of returning to playoff contention.

There is a great deal of hope for the future thanks to the arrival of quarterback Drake Maye, who the Patriots took third overall in the 2024 NFL draft out of North Carolina.

Although Maye was New England's best quarterback during the preseason, the decision was made to go with veteran Jacoby Brissett as the starting quarterback to open the regular season.

Some may view that as a move meant to limit the Patriots' ceiling in 2024, but it is more likely that the organization is trying to protect Maye and not play him until he is fully ready.

Maye figures to get the chance to start at some point this season, and while that probably won't prevent New England from being one of the five to 10 worst teams in the league, some solid performances from him could put the Patriots in position to return to prominence in the coming years.