Eliot Wolf consolidated power in the Patriots front office on Wednesday. First, hired former Green Bay Packers executive Alonzo Highsmith to a front office role with the team. Second, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Wolf will have final say on personnel decisions and the 53 man roster.

None of this is a surprise. The son of former legendary Packers general manager Ron Wolf is the most experienced member of the Patriots current front office structure. The Kraft family recognizes this and they have empowered Wolf to lead the organization as the defacto general manager.

Wolf has been sitting in prospective coaching interviews along with Jerod Mayo and has clearly had a say in who gets hired based on who the Patriots have hired.

The Patriots have yet to name a general manager but based on the current operation of the front office, Wolf is the guy. It is only a matter of time before he gets the title.

Of course, he may not end up the general manager at all because it may depend on how the rest of this season plays out. Kraft did say in Mayo’s introductory press conference last month that he wants to give the current front office a chance to prove itself before deciding on who the general manager will be.

It is worth nothing that Kraft has never hired a general manager in his 30 year tenure as owner. Wolf appears to be the closest thing to one since Bobby Grier. Let’s see if he eventually gets the title.