{"id":59895,"date":"2025-05-07T10:22:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=59895"},"modified":"2025-05-07T10:22:06","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:22:06","slug":"morse-review-of-the-book-the-packer-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/05\/07\/morse-review-of-the-book-the-packer-way\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Review of the Book “The Packer Way”"},"content":{"rendered":"

I just completed reading the book \u201cThe Packer Way\u201d by Ron Wolf.\u00a0 As you may know, Wolf, the former General Manager (GM) of the Green Bay Packers and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, is the father of Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf.\u00a0 The Patriots, under Bob Kraft\u2019s ownership and Bill Belichick\u2019s guidance, do not name a GM.\u00a0 Belichick assumed a lot of that role as GM, Football Operations, and Head Coach.<\/p>\n

By reading this book, I was trying to get some insight into how Eliot Wolf was going to evaluate talent ahead of the Draft.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the book didn\u2019t get into that level of detail.\u00a0 What I found was a textbook from a Business Management class.\u00a0 If I were a Business Management Professor at a local college, I would use this book as a classic Business Case Analysis.<\/p>\n

Wolf lays out 9 stepping stones to managing a Professional Sports Franchise.\u00a0 He takes sound business practices and applies them to organizing a Football Team.\u00a0 Ron Wolf was a longtime scout (12 years) for the Oakland Raiders under Al Davis, who taught him the ropes.\u00a0 Wolf was then hired as VP of Football Operations for the expansion franchise Tampa Bay Buccaneers.\u00a0 Wolf resigned after three years because of disagreements with the owner, Hugh Culverhouse, who had a close relationship with Head Coach John McKay and sided with McKay over Wolf.\u00a0 Tampa Bay lost 26 consecutive games at the start of the Franchise.\u00a0 Wolf was given the blame.<\/p>\n

Wolf returned to scouting for the Oakland\/ Los Angeles Raiders for another 11 years before switching to the New York Jets to work as an Assistant GM under Dick Steinberg.\u00a0 From his two years there he was selected as the new GM for the Green Bay Packers.\u00a0 He learned from his mistakes in Tampa Bay and took a struggling franchise in Green Bay to the Super Bowl title in 1996 (over the Patriots).\u00a0 The team he inherited was 4-11 (back when they played 15 games).<\/p>\n

These are the Stepping Stones:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Identify What Needs to be Fixed<\/li>\n
  2. Hire the Best Before Anyone Else Does<\/li>\n
  3. Develop an Obsession with Winning Today<\/li>\n
  4. Play to Your Strength<\/li>\n
  5. Use the Four C\u2019s to Measure Performance<\/li>\n
  6. Making It Work<\/li>\n
  7. Keeping It Going<\/li>\n
  8. Handling the Unexpected<\/li>\n
  9. Staying On Top<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Simple and basic application of sound business practices to develop a winning franchise that can maintain a high level of competition year in and year out.<\/p>\n

    Eliot Wolf does not have the final say like his father did at Green Bay.\u00a0 Mike Vrabel is in charge and has final say.\u00a0 However, it is amazing how similar Vrabel\u2019s organization and approach to developing his Patriots team is to the blueprint laid out in \u201cThe Packer Way\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0Vrabel was quick to identify what needed to be fixed, and needed to do this to prepare for Free Agency.\u00a0 Vrabel needed to identify where the holes are in the roster and how to fill them. \u00a0This is the 1st<\/sup> Stepping Stone.\u00a0 An interesting thing that Wolf had to overcome was that players didn\u2019t want to play in Green Bay.\u00a0 He described it as playing in Alaska.\u00a0 When Free Agency kicked in, Green Bay and Wolf were able to convince a premier African-American player, Reggie White, to sign and play in predominantly white Green Bay.\u00a0 Vrabel had a similar bias about Foxborough, with no nightlife, no stars, a Millionaires Tax, an inexperienced coaching staff, and a losing franchise.\u00a0 Vrabel went out and changed that in Free Agency by overpaying and signing good character players who can play.<\/p>\n

    \"Eliot<\/p>\n
    (PHOTO: Mark Hoffman\/ via USA TODAY Sports)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    The Next Stepping Stone is \u201cHire the Best Before Anyone Else Does\u201d.\u00a0 Because the Patriots moved very quickly after the season ended to hire Mike Vrabel, he was able to quickly assemble a very competent coaching staff because of his familiarity and contacts within the NFL.\u00a0 \u00a0Many of these coaches had been members of his successful coaching staff at Tennessee. Josh McDaniels is a former Head Coach and a brilliant Offensive Coordinator with a proven resume with the Patriots during the heyday of their Super Bowl Championship seasons.\u00a0 McDaniels served as Patriots Offensive Coordinator for 14 non-consecutive seasons and won 6 Super Bowls as a member of the coaching staff.\u00a0 Thomas Brown was an Offensive Coordinator and interim Head Coach in Chicago. \u00a0The 60-year-old Doug Marrone has 33 years of coaching experience and was head Coach in Buffalo and Jacksonville.\u00a0 Todd Downing has 17 years of coaching experience and was the Offensive Coordinator twice in his career.\u00a0 The bottom line that making the hires early enough in the process, the Patriots and Mike Vrable got the jump on other team in filling out their coaching staff.\u00a0 They hired the best before anyone else did!<\/p>\n

    Vrabel is trying to re-establish an \u201cObssession with Winning\u201d which is the next stepping stone.\u00a0 In a video that was released by Soy F\u00fatbol, Vrabel in his introductory speech stated that the players should respect the Team, the people in the building and their teammates.\u00a0 He went out of his way to say the people working for the team are not your handmaids and that they are working whatever job they perform to make you better, so treat them with respect.\u00a0 \u00a0“So, we’re building our own identity. We’re building our own team. We’re building our own program.\u00a0 There’s going to be things within that are different,” Vrabel says. “There’s going to be things within that that are the same. OK? And it’s all going to be based on how we make you guys, OK, as good as you possibly can be as an individual, as a player, and then as a team\u201d.\u00a0 Vrabel turned around one of the issues players perceived of the Patriots by hiring a competent and experienced coaching staff.\u00a0 Mr. Kraft made the right move in firing Jerod Mayo after one season and hiring Mike Vrabel.<\/p>\n

    “That’s going to be our whole goal. And you have to start understanding that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing.”\u00a0 The stated goal is to WIN the Division!<\/p>\n

    The next Stepping Stone is \u201cPlay to your Strength\u201d.\u00a0 This hasn\u2019t been established yet, or at least we are not aware of what the coaches think the strengths and weaknesses of the team are.\u00a0 Based on Josh McDaniels’ Offensive philosophy, I believe they will want to establish the run.\u00a0 I found it refreshing that McDaniel asked Maye what he liked to run and what he felt comfortable doing, and is willing to work that into the offense.\u00a0 Remember, one of the big flaws of Drake Maye last season was that he had never taken a snap under center in college.\u00a0 Naturally he feels more comfortable in shotgun.<\/p>\n

    \"Mike<\/p>\n
    (PHOTO: Eric Canha-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \u201cUse the four C\u2019s to Measure Performance\u201d is another Stepping Stone.\u00a0 The word \u201cCertain\u201d leads all four principle, Certain Devotion, Certain Dedication, Certain Worth Ethic and Certain Results.\u00a0 Ron Wolf believes that no employee deserves a job for life.\u00a0 They will be constantly evaluated against the 4 C\u2019s principles if they want to be retained.\u00a0 This includes the front office, players and the person serving the meals in the cafeteria. It is better to let a player go a year too early than a year too late.\u00a0 Vrabel has jettisoned Davon Godchaux, JuWhuan Bentley, David Andrews and Joe Cardona.\u00a0 That\u2019s 3 Captains from the Belichick \/ Mayo regime.\u00a0 I will also put out there that Wolf stresses communication.\u00a0 He encouraged Scouts and other Front Office personnel to speak their mind and be willing to support their positions on players.\u00a0 According to Mark Daniels from Mass Live Vrabel wants people that will debate him, not yes men.\u00a0 Another finding is to \u201cFind the best, train the best and reward the best.\u201d\u00a0 He also stresses to not counter offer a player or personnel if they decide to accept an offer from another employer.\u00a0 I disagree with this part of the “Packer Way” as I was counter offered three time in my business career and accepted them.\u00a0 Mike Vrabel has already strayed away from this idea with the signing of Christian Ellis in Free Agency after he received a generous offer sheet from the Las Vegas Raiders.<\/p>\n

    Eliot Wolf offered this in his Press Conference after Day Two of the Draft.\u00a0 \u201cIn all honesty, there were some really good conversations before our first pick [Day 2 – #38] with Coach Vrabel, Ryan [Cowden], Cam [Williams], Matt [Groh] and Alonzo [Highsmith],\u201d Wolf said. \u201cJust there was a little bit of a debate about who we were going to pick, and ultimately, one of the players we were talking about got drafted, so it didn\u2019t end up mattering, but I think it was a really good step in the right direction just for us working together in our relationship as co-workers because we have to have productive disagreements for this to work\u201d.\u00a0 This was believed to be Jonah Savaiinea (OG) Arizona selected just ahead of the Patriots at #37.<\/p>\n

    \u201cMaking it Work\u201d is the next tenant of the Packer Way.\u00a0 This portion of the manifesto emphasizes keeping true to your principles.\u00a0 Stay true to your plan and structure.\u00a0 This is still a work in progress, the rebuilding of the Patriots.<\/p>\n

    The final three Stepping Stones have to do with the assumption that your plan has succeeded and how you are going about keeping it that way.\u00a0 It also talks about handling the unexpected.\u00a0 The Patriots are not there yet, but with Vrabel I think they are heading that way.<\/p>\n

    I read this book hoping to get some insight into how Eliot Wolf was going to go about the process of drafting players.\u00a0 There were two points in the book.\u00a0 One was to not be afraid to deal picks, including top picks for a player you are passionate about.\u00a0 Ron Wolf was enamored by Brett Favre when he was working for the Jets.\u00a0 In fact, the Jets were about to draft Favre in the 2nd<\/sup> round of the 1991 draft when Atlanta selected him just before the Jets.\u00a0 Wolf traded the 17th<\/sup> overall 1st<\/sup> round pick to Atlanta for Favre.\u00a0 Interesting enough, Favre was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis to his hip, the same injury that ended Bo Jackson\u2019s career.\u00a0 The team doctors wanted to flunk Favre for failing his physical and nullify the trade.\u00a0 Wolf overrode their decision, and Favre went on to play 16 seasons for the Packers.<\/p>\n

    The second point is to maneuver through the draft and take players that you have identified as your players trading picks to move up and down the draft board.\u00a0 The Patriots made 5 trades in the 2025 draft and one horrendous trade last year. \u00a0The trade last year was so bad that most GMs would have been fired over it.<\/p>\n

    Eliot Wolf doesn\u2019t have complete control that his father had.\u00a0 However, he introduced a new scouting system this past year.\u00a0 In 2024, it was Bill Belichick\u2019s system, and Wolf couldn\u2019t do anything about the scouting until after the draft.\u00a0 The term \u201cthe Hay is in the Barn\u201d means that all the scouting, compilation, cross-checking, analysis, and evaluations were done under the old system.\u00a0 \u00a0They were drafting from the data compiled for Bill Belichick. \u00a0That doesn\u2019t excuse the colossal mistake of trading away a chance to draft Ladd McConkey and a 5th<\/sup> round pick #137 for Ja’lynn Polk and Javon Baker.<\/p>\n

    Here is hoping that we can look back and fill in the remaining Stepping Stones of a successful Franchise.<\/p>\n

    \"Mike<\/p>\n
    (PHOTO: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Leftovers from the Draft<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Did you notice that Mike Vrabel, on the two phone calls the Patriots staff put out on Patriots.com, reminded both Will Campbell and Tre\u2019Vyon Henderson to thank the people who got them drafted where they did?\u00a0 This is another example of the people skills that Vrabel has.<\/p>\n

    The Patriots put an emphasis on character guys in the draft.\u00a0 Five of their draft picks were also team captains, showing their leadership potential. \u00a0\u00a0About 1st<\/sup> pick Will Campbell, Evan Lazar of Patriots.com pointed out in an interview with LSU O-Line Coach Brad Davis.\u00a0 “He is as conscientious of a human being as I’ve been around. He doesn’t want to let people down, and he has a level of pride in his work that is unmatched.” Said Davis.\u00a0 He went on to say “You guys have had some unbelievable players come through your franchise. I mean, Hall of Famers. This kid has the makings to be another one of those legendary guys.\u201d\u00a0 He was a two-time Captain at LSU.\u00a0 Tre\u2019Vyon Henderson, Joshua Farmer, Kyle Williams and Craig Woodson were also Captains.<\/p>\n

    This even applied to the Undrafted Free Agents they signed.\u00a0 RB Lan Larison was a team Captain at UC Davis.\u00a0 WR Efton Chism was also a team Captain at Eastern Washington as was FB Brock Lampe at Northern Illinois.<\/p>\n

    Kyle Williams impressed the coaching staff by playing in his team\u2019s Bowl game.\u00a0 Most draft-eligible players passed on playing in the bowl games because they didn\u2019t want to get hurt playing in a meaningless game before they were going to get drafted.\u00a0 Williams had no reason to play except his own personal pride, team leadership, and love of playing football.<\/p>\n

    A funny thing happened to Williams in his interview with the Patriots.\u00a0 He identified Coach Vrabel as an Offensive Lineman in the NFL.\u00a0 Luckily, Mike Vrabel didn\u2019t hold this mistake personally.\u00a0 They laughed it off afterwards as Williams stated that he knew he played in the NFL.<\/p>\n

    Why Did Players Drop to NE in the Draft?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Jared Wilson dropped in the draft because he was only a one-year starter.\u00a0 He had to wait his turn to get playing time on what has been a traditionally strong Offensive Line group.\u00a0 The guy he was playing behind, Sedrick Granger-Pran was a three-year starter at Georgia and was drafted in the 5th<\/sup> round (144) last year. \u00a0Granger-Pran was a 1st<\/sup> team All SEC in 2023, and 2nd<\/sup> team in 2022.\u00a0 Wilson turns 22 in June.\u00a0 I think the Patriots got a steal in Wilson and that was after Eliot Wolf traded back twice.<\/p>\n

    Baryn Swinson dropped to the 5th<\/sup> round because he was only productive in his final year of college eligibility.\u00a0 There were also reports that he disagreed with the coaching staff.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I just completed reading the book \u201cThe Packer Way\u201d by Ron Wolf.\u00a0 As you may know, Wolf, the former General Manager (GM) of the Green Bay Packers and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is the father of Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":59904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\nMORSE: Review of the Book "The Packer Way"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I just completed reading the book \u201cThe Packer Way\u201d by Ron Wolf.\u00a0 As you may know, Wolf, the former General Manager (GM) of the Green Bay Packers and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is the father of Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/05\/07\/morse-review-of-the-book-the-packer-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MORSE: Review of the Book "The Packer Way" | PatsFans.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I just completed reading the book \u201cThe Packer Way\u201d by Ron Wolf.\u00a0 As you may know, Wolf, the former General Manager (GM) of the Green Bay Packers and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is the father 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