Eliot Wolf leaving Packers to be Browns' assistant GM

GREEN BAY - For the first time since November 1991, the Green Bay Packers will not have someone named Wolf evaluating talent for them.

Eliot Wolf, the son of former general manager Ron Wolf and a 14-year veteran of the Packers’ scouting team, has accepted a job to become the assistant general manager with the Cleveland Browns, a source close to Wolf said.

A finalist for the Packers’ GM job, Eliot Wolf had job offers from Green Bay, Cleveland and Oakland.

New Packers GM Brian Gutekunst wanted Wolf to stay on in a leadership role within the personnel department, but sources said Wolf felt it was best for him to move on after being passed over for the Packers' general manager position.

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In going to Cleveland, Wolf will be joining former Kansas City Chiefs and Packers personnel executive John Dorsey. Another Packers executive, Alonzo Highsmith, left the Packers to join the Browns last week.

Wolf moved up the chain quickly upon Ted Thompson’s arrival as GM in 2005. He served as the assistant director of pro personnel from 2008-10, assistant director of player personnel in 2011, director of pro personnel from ’12-14, director of player personnel in ’15 and director of football operations from ’16-17.

Over the years, Thompson denied him three opportunities to interview for GM jobs, However, he was allowed to interview for recent openings in Indianapolis and San Francisco.

Gutekunst badly wanted Wolf to return and it’s likely he offered him the assistant GM position. Wolf’s loss means Gutekunst will have to search for an assistant-GM type to oversee the personnel department.

Among the internal candidates are Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of college scouting and John Wojciechowski, director of pro personnel.