Patriots Rumors: GM Role Could Remain Vacant in 2024 After Bill Belichick's Exit | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The New England Patriots may operate without a general manager for the 2024 season.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Patriots have made "no moves to interview any external candidate" to fill the open primary football executive position. Former head coach Bill Belichick previously held the title before the two sides mutually agreed to part ways on Jan. 11.

New head coach Jerod Mayo is replacing Belichick on the sidelines, although he won't have the power to make personnel decisions just yet.

In the meantime, director of scouting Eliot Wolf is currently running personnel, per Jones. Wolf spent time with the Green Bay Packers from 2004 through 2017, then worked for the Cleveland Browns as the team's assistant general manager in 2018. He joined the Patriots in 2020 and has remained with the organization ever since.

Team owner Robert Kraft has hinted in the past that New England would operate with a collaborative mindset instead of relying on one general manager to make decisions in the wake of Belichick's departure.

"We have a lot of people internally who have had a chance to train and learn under the greatest coach of all time and a man whose football intellect is very special," Kraft said, via Jones. "So, in the short-term, we're looking for collaboration."

"So we're counting on our internal people, whom we're still learning and evaluating," he added.

The Patriots will have an extremely important decision to make in the 2024 NFL draft, as the team currently owns the No. 3 overall pick and could select a new franchise quarterback. New England is also projected to have the third-most cap space in the league, allowing the team to build through both free agency and the draft to improve upon last season's disappointing 4-13 record.