The Patriots have kicked off their search for a “top football executive,” but one of the team’s targets has already rejected an interview. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown has declined an interview for the Patriots’ de facto GM job.
[RELATED: Patriots Begin Top Executive Search]
A move to New England would be a bit of a reunion for Brown, as the 39-year-old started his front office career as a Patriots scout. He followed that up with a long stint in Philadelphia, where he eventually climbed to the role of Eagles director of college scouting. Brown had brief stints in the AAF and XFL before joining the Bengals as a scout in 2021. Following one year with the organization, he was promoted to his current role of senior personnel executive.
Brown’s rise through the Bengals organization coincided with the team’s on-field turnaround, and the executive garnered plenty of praise for his role in the operation. He first popped up on the GM carousel in 2022 when he earned an interview for the Raiders GM job. He got another look for the Raiders job this offseason but walked away empty handed. Considering his track record, Pelissero notes that Brown will remain a top GM candidate during next year’s hiring cycle.
While the Patriots have continually signaled that they’ll eventually be conducting a search for a front office leader, today’s development still comes as a bit of a surprise. After moving on from head coach/de facto GM Bill Belichick, the team basically handed the reins to Eliot Wolf, who retained his title of director of scouting. While the new-look Patriots relied on a group effort to fill the Belichick-sized void, Wolf played a major role in the team’s free agency and draft approach. With the roster pretty much set (and the organization having made a significant decision with Drake Maye at No. 3), the team will now curiously consider another executive to lead the way.
With that said, Wolf’s presence may cause some issues for Robert Kraft and the Patriots’ top decision makers. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes, the Patriots may have a tough time convincing candidates that Wolf isn’t “a lock to get the job.” For what it’s worth, Volin notes that the Patriots have already complied with the Rooney Rule in regards to their GM vacancy.
The Patriots haven’t employed a traditional GM since Kraft took over ownership of the organization. It sounds like the long-time owner is once again considering a creative approach to his front office.
Trey Brown and his Band of Renown?
Like I said earlier what decent GM candidate would want this job ? Roster is already filled out w/zero players that you were able to bring in, missed being able to shape roster and construct it through draft n free agency signings, have inexperienced rookie head coach who u didn’t hire, probably starting rookie QB @some point, 1 u didn’t have any say in but must embrace em as your guy, the man who has been doing your job will still be in bldng n it is really his team right now, and there’s good chance he’ll be above u in the executive hierarchy. Pats waterboy has more pull than new lame duck GM will have.
And the worst part of all, Jonathan Kraft is actually calling the shots. Just like Jerry Jones.
Agreed who in their right mind wants to take charge of this debacle?
Free agency is basically over and they still have about 50 million left in space. They have so many needs and they did very little to address. Ownership takes credit for everything but needs it ego and body parts stroked. The new QB is going to take a beating. There aren’t going to be many happy endings this year in New England at least at Patriot place.
It was always Kraft being cheap. People want to blame BB, but, it’s obviously BS. Krafts are cheap af.
“A refusal is not the act of a friend” / Don Barzini
Bill B is still on the market!
Yep, whoever is foolish enough to take this pseudo-GM job will b fired in 1.5 to 2.5 years.
Pseudo-GM since Eliot Wolf remains in the building, and Jonathan Kraft reserves final say on all decisions. Jerry-World without the one and done playoffs.
I can’t believe the Pats haven’t already hired the genius Bob Quinn.