Adapt or Die: How Eliot Wolf and John Schneider Built Their Way to Super Bowl LX
SAN FRANCISCO - Eliot Wolf and John Schneider were raised in the draft-and-develop school of roster building, forged in the disciplined, homegrown philosophy of the Green Bay Packers. But as Super Bowl LX rolls into town, it’s clear both men have evolved beyond their roots - and that evolution has paid off.
Wolf’s Patriots and Schneider’s Seahawks have taken different paths to reach the biggest stage in football, but they share one key trait: flexibility. They’ve stayed true to the core principles of scouting and development, but they’ve also shown a willingness to pivot when the moment demanded it. And this season, the moment demanded it.
Patriots: From Draft Dreams to Free Agency Reality
When Eliot Wolf was promoted to executive vice president of player personnel in 2024, the plan was simple - build through the draft, re-sign your own, and let the roster grow from within. That’s how Green Bay did it, and that’s the world Wolf knew best.
But plans change. The Patriots had holes everywhere and more than $100 million in cap space.
Only two players from their eight-man 2024 draft class are still on the roster. The team had no choice - it had to spend.
And spend they did. The Patriots led the NFL in free-agent spending this past offseason, a move that would’ve been unthinkable under the strict draft-first regimes of Ron Wolf or Ted Thompson. But Eliot Wolf saw an opportunity, and he took it.
“Obviously, the 2024 draft wasn’t strong,” Wolf said during Super Bowl week. “The 2025 draft looks like it is so far. But we’re emphasizing draft and develop, and we have the coaching staff to be able to accomplish that.”
Still, Wolf made it clear: he’s not married to any one method. If there’s a chance to improve the roster - whether through trades, free agency, waivers, or even poaching - it’s on the table.
“I don’t believe in just sitting back,” he said. “If you have an opportunity to improve your roster in the short term and in the long term, that’s something you have to look at.”
That aggressive mindset helped land players like Milton Williams - a young, ascending defensive lineman who became available only because the Eagles couldn’t afford to keep him. In a typical year, a player like that never hits the market. But the Patriots had the cap space, the flexibility, and the ownership backing to make it happen.
“Richard Miller has always reminded me that we spent two years’ worth in one year,” Wolf said, referring to the team’s director of research. “But I think that was necessary to supplement the roster.”
Seahawks: Draft Foundation, Free Agency Finish
Seattle’s path under John Schneider has been more traditional - at least on the surface. The Seahawks have consistently found success in the draft, and that’s still their foundation. But even Schneider knew that to turn this roster into a Super Bowl contender, he had to go beyond the draft board.
Seattle ranked third in free-agent spending this offseason, shelling out $243 million to plug gaps and elevate the roster. For a front office that once operated under the frugal philosophies of Thompson and Wolf Sr., that’s a massive shift.
Still, Schneider’s approach hasn’t abandoned the draft. It’s about balance - building a core through scouting and development, then knowing when to strike in the market to fill in the rest.
It’s a model Wolf has openly admired.
“One of the cool things that I think Schneider has done in Seattle, that we’re going to try and do, or have tried to do as well, is not only using the draft to develop, but trying to improve the team any way we can,” Wolf said.
Building a New Patriots Identity
What’s interesting about this Patriots front office is how many different philosophies are at play. Wolf brings his Green Bay background, but head coach Mike Vrabel and his top lieutenant John Streicher bring their own perspectives.
Ryan Cowden, the VP of player personnel, learned under Marty Hurney. Matt Groh and Richard Miller are Patriots lifers.
It’s a melting pot of ideologies, and Wolf isn’t trying to force it into one rigid system.
“I think coming from Green Bay and the system that I grew up in, it was all I knew, and I really liked it,” he said. “But there’s not one way to do things successfully.”
The team has also added key personnel voices from Wolf’s past, including senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith and Wolf’s son, AJ Highsmith, now the director of pro personnel. But even with familiar faces, Wolf is open to evolving the process.
“We’ve kept a lot of the things from the - I don’t know if it’s the Belichick, Pioli, Caserio scale - that we still implement, that are good things,” Wolf said. “It’s always an evolving process to try to get your process better.”
Draft Still Matters - But So Does Adaptability
The Patriots head into this offseason with 12 draft picks, five in the first four rounds. They’re picking late in the first round, which could open the door for a trade to grab a more impactful player. That’s the kind of flexibility Wolf is embracing - using every tool available to build a sustainable winner.
The core belief in drafting and developing hasn’t gone away. But Wolf and Schneider have shown they’re willing to adapt when the situation calls for it. And in a league that changes fast, that adaptability might be the most valuable asset of all.
Now, here they are - two former Packers scouts, each charting their own course, facing off on the sport’s biggest stage. It’s a reminder that while philosophies matter, results matter more. And both front offices have delivered.