Forged in Foxboro: episode 1

[Real fan 02]

Alonzo Highsmith’s son is taking over the Cam Williams role.

Let’s hope he is up to the task, but his resume looks good.

Oh ok! Thanks for that information.. I really like highsmith and he and Vrabel have been said to have established a really good relationship.

What's Cam new job?

 

[The Gr8est]

Oh ok! Thanks for that information.. I really like highsmith and he and Vrabel have been said to have established a really good relationship.

What's Cam new job?

He was hired by Denver after the draft.

I don’t know if it was a promotion, and I think it would need to be if he was under contract.

 

[Real fan 02]

He was hired by Denver after the draft.

I don’t know if it was a promotion, and I think it would need to be if he was under contract.

Ok, as he was the director of college scouting as we know.. he's a really sharp guy. I'm assuming had to be a front office position.. I wonder what's the next step up..

 

[Ross12]

Regarding Wolf and the change in performance this year - this is my takeaway:

Wolf was a bit hamstrung last year between essentially needing to be the GM without the title and thus unable to make meaningful changes, in addition to having a HC in Mayo who could not give him any direction on what he wants. Not great. Post-draft, he implemented a new ranking system for players to scout and score based upon. In addition to that, the hirings of Vrabel, Cowden and Streicher helped provide direction and further improved scouting and evaluation.

Wolf does have his strengths, which include people skills. He has been widely known as being great with agents, and I think that is reflected in the number of extremely team-friendly deals signed this year. You can also see it in how the team stole Milton Williams away from Carolina after he had already reported agreed to terms.

So all-in-all, I think the changes in circumstances helped Wolf tremendously, combined with new front office additions helping him plug his gaps/deficiencies. Is he the best GM in the NFL? Certainly not, but the combination of these guys combining their strengths and covering their weaknesses ultimately created a very good front office performance this season. Let's just hope that they can hang onto Cowden for a while and not have him get poached for his own GM job elsewhere.

 

[The Gr8est]

Regarding Wolf and the change in performance this year - this is my takeaway:

Wolf was a bit hamstrung last year between essentially needing to be the GM without the title and thus unable to make meaningful changes, in addition to having a HC in Mayo who could not give him any direction on what he wants. Not great. Post-draft, he implemented a new ranking system for players to scout and score based upon. In addition to that, the hirings of Vrabel, Cowden and Streicher helped provide direction and further improved scouting and evaluation.

Wolf does have his strengths, which include people skills. He has been widely known as being great with agents, and I think that is reflected in the number of extremely team-friendly deals signed this year. You can also see it in how the team stole Milton Williams away from Carolina after he had already reported agreed to terms.

So all-in-all, I think the changes in circumstances helped Wolf tremendously, combined with new front office additions helping him plug his gaps/deficiencies. Is he the best GM in the NFL? Certainly not, but the combination of these guys combining their strengths and covering their weaknesses ultimately created a very good front office performance this season. Let's just hope that they can hang onto Cowden for a while and not have him get poached for his own GM job elsewhere.

McDaniels and Cowden were Vrabel’s first hires.

You have to think they will be sticking around for a while.

 

[Real fan 02]

Regarding Wolf and the change in performance this year - this is my takeaway:

Wolf was a bit hamstrung last year between essentially needing to be the GM without the title and thus unable to make meaningful changes, in addition to having a HC in Mayo who could not give him any direction on what he wants. Not great. Post-draft, he implemented a new ranking system for players to scout and score based upon. In addition to that, the hirings of Vrabel, Cowden and Streicher helped provide direction and further improved scouting and evaluation.

Wolf does have his strengths, which include people skills. He has been widely known as being great with agents, and I think that is reflected in the number of extremely team-friendly deals signed this year. You can also see it in how the team stole Milton Williams away from Carolina after he had already reported agreed to terms.

So all-in-all, I think the changes in circumstances helped Wolf tremendously, combined with new front office additions helping him plug his gaps/deficiencies. Is he the best GM in the NFL? Certainly not, but the combination of these guys combining their strengths and covering their weaknesses ultimately created a very good front office performance this season. Let's just hope that they can hang onto Cowden for a while and not have him get poached for his own GM job elsewhere.

Great stuff Ross as always. Wolf also has been around this stuff since a kid and was raised in this. I give wolf his props as he's able to do his job much more effectively with Vrabel-Cowden-Streicher...

 

[Real fan 02]

McDaniels and Cowden were Vrabel’s first hires.

You have to think they will be sticking around for a while.

Yes and Streicher is in an earlier adams role...

 

[TheRainMaker]

Loved it when Vrabel called out Courtney Brown of the Texans (not the #1 overall pick) for the dreaded tap out. I can't stand it when players are barely on the field and do this and especially when Aqib Talib did this not once, but twice in the AFCCG's when the Pats needed him most.

 

[Real fan 02]

Loved it when Vrabel called out Courtney Brown of the Texans (not the #1 overall pick) for the dreaded tap out. I can't stand it when players are barely on the field and do this and especially when Aqib Talib did this not once, but twice in the AFCCG's when the Pats needed him most.

Tell me about it.. tapped out both times.. and that's ultimately why he never got the 60 million from us.. bill didn't trust his availability and seen as how we were in championship games each season.

 

[maust]

McDaniels and Cowden were Vrabel’s first hires.

You have to think they will be sticking around for a while.

Pretty much guaranteed McDaniels will be here for more than a cup of coffee. McDaniels is sitting on 2 strikes, even if/when he develops Maye & Co into a top 5 unit other teams will want to see it sustained over time. If, a BIG IF, he gets another bite at the HC apple it won't be anytime soon. Not one but now two high profile flameouts at HC aren't easily overcome. He and his family like it and here and who's to say he'd even want to risk imploding again elsewhere?

Cowden's tea leaves are harder to read. After being a casualty of Miss Amy's disastrous purge, even though he had just been named interim GM, he was interviewed as a GM candidate by a couple of teams and has had multiple teams kick the tires over the past several years for GM positions. He didn't have any trouble landing on his feet with the Giants F.O. Obviously there's a high opinion of him out there pretty much everywhere but TN. That said, he's in his mid 40's so he's got time and he's obviously a Vrabel guy. In spite of the ridiculous 'cheap' label applied by some here, Kraft has shown time and again he's willing to shell out the bucks for trusted and valued lieutenants. Bill was the one that used a willingness to take less as a test of worthiness to sit at the big table not Krafty Bob. If Cowden were to leave it would most likely be for a really attractive situation/opportunity from a career defining standpoint vs just the contractual money that Kraft would likely be willing to match if Vrabel requested it.

 

[Real fan 02]

Pretty much guaranteed McDaniels will be here for more than a cup of coffee. McDaniels is sitting on 2 strikes, even if/when he develops Maye & Co into a top 5 unit other teams will want to see it sustained over time. If, a BIG IF, he gets another bite at the HC apple it won't be anytime soon. Not one but now two high profile flameouts at HC aren't easily overcome. He and his family like it and here and who's to say he'd even want to risk imploding again elsewhere?

Cowden's tea leaves are harder to read. After being a casualty of Miss Amy's disastrous purge, even though he had just been named interim GM, he was interviewed as a GM candidate by a couple of teams and has had multiple teams kick the tires over the past several years for GM positions. He didn't have any trouble landing on his feet with the Giants F.O. Obviously there's a high opinion of him out there pretty much everywhere but TN. That said, he's in his mid 40's so he's got time and he's obviously a Vrabel guy. In spite of the ridiculous 'cheap' label applied by some here, Kraft has shown time and again he's willing to shell out the bucks for trusted and valued lieutenants. Bill was the one that used a willingness to take less as a test of worthiness to sit at the big table not Krafty Bob. If Cowden were to leave it would most likely be for a really attractive situation/opportunity from a career defining standpoint vs just the contractual money that Kraft would likely be willing to match if Vrabel requested it.

Good stuff my guy. Cowden was assistant GM under Schoen in NYG.. watching the hard locks with that front office last year's hard knocks episode should have been named hard watch.. cowden was like the only calm demeanor in the series.. he and Vrabel share the same thinking..if u notice in the forged in Foxboro episode Wolf asked.. are you guys ok with that? When selecting i think Williams...

Cowden is in a GM type role.. although Wolf is being paid as a GM according to his title. I feel like all of them work well in unison and it feels like a well oiled operated unlike the past few seasons.

 

[ViperGTS]

McDaniels and Cowden were Vrabel’s first hires.

You have to think they will be sticking around for a while.

McDaniels isn't going anywhere unless he gets fired. Dude lives in the area, ain't getting a head coaching job ever again imo. Cowden, as stated will be around until he gets fired too.

 

[Real fan 02]

McDaniels isn't going anywhere unless he gets fired. Dude lives in the area, ain't getting a head coaching job ever again imo. Cowden, as stated will be around until he gets fired too.

Agreed Cowden goes as vrable goes.. now once we start winning and our picks pan out. I can see a team probably taking a look at cowden down the line.. Josh is content guys got generational wealth,championships, and coaching in his own backyard.. yeah he's in a nice position.

 

[maust]

McDaniels isn't going anywhere unless he gets fired. Dude lives in the area, ain't getting a head coaching job ever again imo. Cowden, as stated will be around until he gets fired too.

Who stated Cowden will be around until he gets fired too? I must have missed that
If this front office hits it out of the park on the rebuild, Cowden is likely to be in high demand. Ultimately most GM's and coaches are hired to be fired but I'd see Cowden as more likely to be a candidate to be poached than fired. YMMV

 

[Real fan 02]

Who stated Cowden will be around until he gets fired too? I must have missed that
If this front office hits it out of the park on the rebuild, Cowden is likely to be in high demand. Ultimately most GM's and coaches are hired to be fired but I'd see Cowden as more likely to be a candidate to be poached than fired. YMMV

I forever this panning out like this.
Wolf ends up going elsewhere down the line for a higher position..

Cowden remains as GM. He will continue to build his resume and if these draft picks hit he absolutely will be a name owners want to target.. im thinking a year or 2 down the line.

 

[ViperGTS]

I forever this panning out like this.
Wolf ends up going elsewhere down the line for a higher position..

Cowden remains as GM. He will continue to build his resume and if these draft picks hit he absolutely will be a name owners want to target.. im thinking a year or 2 down the line.

Yeah but my guess is he sticks with Vrabel long term. Sometime the grass isn't always greener and he is very, very close with Vrabel.

 

[Real fan 02]

Yeah but my guess is he sticks with Vrabel long term. Sometime the grass isn't always greener and he is very, very close with Vrabel.

Agreed there. Cowden left that dysfunction Giants situation as he knows that whole staff is on borrowed time.

 

[Lansdowne]

Turned down a solid trade offer to stay and take TreVeyon. I think the right move because the drop was 21 spots. Rather take the possible game breaker type player.

They clearly have high hopes for Farmer.

Loved the show, I know it's edited with a positive slant but enjoyed it nonetheless. Looking forward to next episode.

They also got a low ball offer from Chicago (a 7th round pick to move down one spot). The Bears clearly wanted Henderson, which Reiss had reported before.

 

[javajunky]

I agree that Wolf may have been acting as a "company man". That would also explain why he was retained, not fired, after the abysmal 2024 FA and draft results.

I also agree that "reportedly" Wolf's strength is player evaluation. I repeat "reportedly". Groh and Wolf have been front and center in the draft process for the last 4 or 5 years. The 2025 draft was dramatically different than the last 4 or 5 drafts (the 2023 draft was actually quite good). We have to assume the the 2025 draft was a departure from the previous 4 or 5 drafts due to the talent evaluation introduced by Cowden and/or Streicher (we don't know who was responsible for the dramatic positive shift but assume it was Cowden). We know, due to reporting, that Groh's role shifted to contract legal drafting after Glaser was let go (Groh is a lawyer). And as I noted to @Huckleberry1, it appears as Wolf is quite good at coordinating, taking notes, and talking on the phone which I refer to as executive assistant functions. If we break the football GM role into roles of 1. Executive assistant and 2. Talent evaluator, Wolf is good at #1 and sucks at #2.

In conclusion, I do not value the "executive assistant" GM role, I value the "talent evaluation" GM role. But it appears as though the Pats will keep Wolf as a "collaboration coordinator" and Groh to handle contract legal stuff. That is not a decision I would make, but I understand they are "company men". But after the dramatic positive shift in the player evaluations this year, let's drop the pretense that Wolf's strength is talent evaluation, and get on our knees and pray that Cowden and Streicher are here to stay for a long time.

He seems to get what the coaches ask for...this reminds me of Pioli and Belicheck.

 

[Real fan 02]

He seems to get what the coaches ask for...this reminds me of Pioli and Belicheck.

Bingo!!! I said this myself... Bill and Scott were both similar in age to vrabel and Cowden when they came here in 2000.. just funny how things lined up.