Andrew Callahan: Patriots Rebuild Will be a Slow Burn Rather Then a Quick Fix

On Wednesday's edition of Toucher & Hardy, Andrew Callahan who covers the Patriots for the Boston Herald, joined the show and discussed Eliot Wolf and his vision for the new look Patriots.

Fred Toucher: Based on his comments, did you feel like he tipped his hand that they're taking a quarterback at three?

Andrew Callahan: I don't. But I think him saying that obviously they like the quarterback class. First of all, I think you'd have a hard time finding someone who did not. But him saying repeatedly, we'll keep all options on the table, franchise tag, trading down, whatever it might be. I think we could read the tea leaves without those comments to say they're probably going to do what you just said. Take a quarterback at three.

Jon Wallach: Based on his comments, do you think this time around there will be an actual rebuild and not an attempt at a quick fix?

Andrew Callahan: Yes, and you know, again, you look through his history, where has he been most often? In Green Bay, is the answer. Right. That's where he grew up, literally as a kid, grew up as a scout, as an executive, 16 out of his 20 years in the NFL. He summarized their philosophy with the Packers very simply, draft and develop, then extend your core performers from within. So this is a slow burn. This is a slow build, and I think when you have guys who have newly been put in place with him and Jerod(Mayo) and the guys who are in those positions typically get 4 or 5 six-year contracts, like they're empowered now to make change and they're going to make it clear to the krafts, "Hey, we're not going to be back in the Super Bowl next year." This is going to take some time.

CONNECT WITH TOUCHER & HARDY: linktr.ee/ToucherandHardy

For the latest, Visit the show page on 985thesportshub.com. Follow 98.5 the Sports Hub on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Visit our channels on Twitch and Youtube!

On Tuesday morning, New England Patriots fans heard for the first time from the man tasked with getting the Patriots - as he put it - "back to respectability."

That was one of many notable quotes from Eliot Wolf, who spoke to reporters ahead of this week's NFL Combine. Wolf's title remains what is was last year - director of scouting - but he now is essentially the team's de facto general manager following the departure of Bill Belichick.

READ MORE:

--Which quarterbacks in the NFL Draft best fit what Alex Van Pelt is looking for
--Patriots wide receiver expected to test free agency
--2024 franchise tag numbers

As part of his Tuesday presser Wolf confirmed what had previously been reported - that he has 'final say' over the team's roster and personnel decisions. That power is what makes him the de facto GM.

"It’s going to be a collaborative effort - coach [Jerod] Mayo, myself, [director of player personnel] Matt Groh, the whole staff," Wolf said to reporters on Tuesday when asked about the team's decision-making process. "At the end of the day, someone has to make that pick, and that’ll be myself."

So, what is Wolf going to do with that newfound power?

"We need to weaponize the offense," Wolf said, in part, when asked about his approach to this offseason. "Height, weight, speed, playmaking ability - there will definitely be an emphasis on those things."

It sounds like at least part of Wolf's focus in building the Patriots back up will be targeting more natural physical talent. Looking at the draft though we need to dig a little deeper, as that description fits most of the players at the top of the board, especially at the Patriots' positions of need. Wolf addressed his thoughts on two of those positions on Tuesday.

"I think it's a really good year for quarterbacks," Wolf said when asked about this class. "Like any position, we're going to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and determine who fits for us."

Wolf added that an important part of making that determination will be getting to know the quarterbacks as players. The Patriots are expected to meet with all three top quarterbacks in the draft - USC's Caleb Williams, UNC's Drake Maye, and LSU's Jayden Daniels - and Wolf added they could have additional pre-draft meetings as well.

Despite having not met any of the top quarterbacks in person though, Wolf said part of the reason he likes this class is what he sees in their mental makeup. "One thing about the quarterbacks in this draft specifically that I'm excited about - they all look like they're really tough guys," Wolf explained.

Does this all point to the Patriots taking a quarterback in the first round to being the "weaponization" of the Patriots' offense? Wolf highlighted the value of taking a quarterback with the team's first pick league-wide.

"When you look throughout the league, most of the quarterbacks are first-rounders," Wolf noted. "I think the league-wide understanding of how important that position is and how important it is to have somebody there that can help you win games and get over the hump has changed league-wide."

Wolf didn't just talk about the quarterbacks at the top of the draft though. He was also asked about Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is also projected to be a top five pick.

"He's a good player. There's obviously a lot of strengths to his game" Wolf replied. "He can translate to any offense in the NFL."

The one position of need Wolf wasn't asked about - as it relates to the draft - was offensive tackle. However he did address the position internally, calling pending free agent Michael Onwenu a "cornerstone" and adding that "it's no secret we want to keep him."

Talking about "weaponizing" the offense is one thing, but doing it is another. Patriots fans won't have to wait long to start seeing Wolf's vision take shape. The Combine usually marks the start of regular free agency rumors, leading up to the start of the legal tampering period on March 11. From there, it's about another month and a half until the NFL Draft.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.