As the 2024 NFL offseason continues, the New England Patriots’ search for a new general manager has hit a snag… again.

The New England Patriots’ hunt for a new football executive — the franchise’s version of a general manager — hit a snag on Monday. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown declined an interview with the Pats, opting to potentially test his worth next offseason.

As disappointing as Brown’s rejection was, it wasn’t the end of the world. Plenty of fish in the sea, right?

Well, the Patriots decided to cast their line back into the water, hoping for another candidate to bite. Unfortunately, much like what happened with Brown, the latest de facto GM target has also spit the hook right back into Robert Kraft & co.’s face.

Patriots News: Terrance Gray Rejects Executive Interview

Senior NFL reporter Albert Breer reports that Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray has also rejected an interview with the Patriots. Breer added that Gray “politely” turned the opportunity down and that New England likely only interviewed him due to the league’s ‘

The NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which is to promote diversity, requires all teams to “conduct an in-person interview with at least two external diverse — minority and/or female — candidates” for head coach and GM openings.

Interestingly enough, there might be more to the story than meets the eye. Although Breer implies that Gray was only interviewed to “satisfy” the Rooney Rule, Boston Globe‘s Ben Volin is reporting that “the Patriots have already complied with the Rooney Rule” before interviewing Gray and that they were legitimately interested in him.

Following Brown and Gray’s rejections, it’s looking more likely that Eliot Wolf will be named as New England’s new football executive. The 42-year-old, who was brought on as the director of scouting in 2022, has been handling the franchise’s GM duties ever since Bill Belichick left town earlier this offseason.

NBC Sports‘ Phil Perry indicated on Monday that Eliot is the ‘overwhelming favorite’ to be named the Patriots’ next executive. According to Perry, the consensus around the league is that the job is Eliot’s until proven otherwise, leaving time to tell how many more potential candidates New England will look at before making a final decision.

Stability is important when it comes to long-term success, so let’s hope that the Patriots finalize their choice sooner rather than later. The franchise can’t afford to face more unknowns following a tumultuous 2023 season.

But no matter who’s steering the ship, an uphill battle is likely ahead. Oddsmakers are already projecting a struggle-filled 2024 schedule as FanDuel Sportsbook is currently giving the Patriots the second-worst odds to win Super Bowl LIX (+18000).