Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf spoke with reporters Tuesday morning during the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf spoke with reporters Tuesday morning during the annual NFL Scouting Combine.Justin Casterline/Getty
INDIANAPOLIS — Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf spoke with reporters Tuesday morning during the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
Here’s what we learned . . .
1. Wolf indicated the Week 12 MCL injury to rookie left tackle Will Campbell was a turning point that marred his otherwise promising season.
“When he came back from that injury, I personally didn’t see the same level of lower-body strength that you saw before the injury,” Wolf said. “I think the film would attest to that. He probably had three of his four worst games in the playoffs. But before that, I thought Will played really well all year.”
Campbell missed four games prior to returning for Week 18 and the postseason. His performance in the playoffs dipped significantly, particularly in the wild-card and divisional rounds, with pass rushers easily overpowering him.
After another tough showing from Campbell in the Super Bowl, coach Mike Vrabel said there were no plans to move him to left guard. Wolf echoed that sentiment.
“I know everyone talks about the arm length, but he has a set of skills that enable him to play with that arm length,” Wolf said. “He’s really quick out of his stance. He’s technically sound. He’s adding more and more different pass sets to his tool bag that he can use to combat different rushes. He’s 22 years old and we expect some improvement out of him.”
2. The Patriots already have engaged in conversations with their six players set to hit unrestricted free agency. Wolf said he wouldn’t get into details about individual contract situations but did note that safety Jaylinn Hawkins would be welcomed back. The NFL’s legal tampering period opens at noon on March 9, before the league year begins at 4 p.m. on March 11.
3. Wolf refuted the report that the Patriots are interested in Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker, who is set to become a highly coveted free agent.
“It’s not true,” Wolf said. “And the two teams that were linked to that player both drafted tackles in the first round last year, so I’m not sure how accurate that would be.”
That being said, Wolf acknowledged tackle remains a need for the Patriots. Backups Vederian Lowe and Thayer Munford are pending free agents, while starting right tackle Morgan Moses turns 35 next week.
4. On wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Wolf said the Patriots continue to monitor his ongoing legal situation and will “weigh everything” before making a decision on his future. Asked explicitly if Diggs would return next season, Wolf would not say.
“I’m not going to get into any specific players,” he said. “There are certain conversations that we’re having, and we’ll see what happens with everyone.”
Although Wolf was complimentary of Diggs, highlighting his production and leadership, it felt notable that he did not definitively endorse a return. When discussing other veteran players under contract, such as Moses and edge rusher Harold Landry, Wolf felt comfortable sharing he expects both to be back.
The fact that Wolf did not say the same about Diggs may indicate that the team is still working on things, potentially a contract restructure. The 32-year-old Diggs is set to carry the team’s second-highest salary-cap number ($26.5 million). If the Patriots cut him after June 1, they would free up $20.8 million in room while creating just $5.7 million in dead money.
5. On defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who is scheduled to be arraigned March 9 on an assault charge, Wolf said he continues to serve as a “key cog” in the interior defense. Wolf expressed excitement about the pairing of Barmore and Milton Williams.
“Christian has grown up quite a bit,” Wolf said. “We continue to help him with that. He continues to want to make improvements in that area. He’s continued to improve on the field. He had a little bit of a lull in the middle of the season there. He wasn’t playing quite as well, but you know, kicked it up again at the end.”
6. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez is eligible for an extension this offseason, boasting the potential to reset the market at his position.
“Christian, obviously, was good before, and made an even more significant jump this year,” Wolf said. “He’s someone that we want to work with in the future, obviously. We’ll have those conversations at the appropriate time.”
7. Wolf said he does not believe Drake Maye’s shoulder injury limited him during the Super Bowl.
“I just felt like we just couldn’t get in the rhythm offensively,” he said.
Still, Wolf was effusive in his praise for Maye’s growth over the past year.
“Satisfied is a tremendous understatement,” he said. “Drake made a ton of progress in a lot of areas, not only at the start of the season but throughout the season. I think people forget that he’s 23 years old, there’s been a lot on his shoulders, and there will continue to be with the expectation that it has being a quarterback for the New England Patriots. But I’m just really excited about him, his toughness, his competitiveness. He’s always the same guy.”
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com. Follow her on X @nicolecyang.