Patriots Player Departure Marte Mapu Released [UPDATE: Traded to HOU - Mapu+7th for 6th]

203Pat · Apr 7, 2026

Real fan 02 said:
Absolutely.. for example I Harry had more of an attitude and entitlement probably more so than his abilities.. I remember hearing about him arguing with coaches during camp. He showed some flashes but just never really bought in.

Harris probably was the singular player who probably saved the class from being an abrupt failure.. as he did have some productive seasons.. Williams.. for the life of me not sure what the scouts ever saw in him.. he never really made any plays on the ball for his size at 6'3 he should have been able to dominate on the outside at CB... coming in with Gilly and Mcourty to learn from you'd had thought he would have turned into a good pro..

I will never forget that video of him as a rookie in one of his first training camp practices doing one of the footwork drills. He looked incredibly slow. So slow that it stood out to me and I drastically reduced any expectations I had for him. For a guy who was supposed to fit the mold of Aiyuk or AJ Brown he was always so damn soft. Brady pretty much sent him to Siberia after he got bullied by Bradley Roby against the Texans on that red zone INT.

To me Harry always stands out as the final nail in the coffin on Brady staying here. Bill wasn't providing Brady with adequate pass catchers for a while and the various whiffs that season (the AB fiasco, a washed Josh Gordon released midway, the disastrous Sanu trade) showed Bill didn't understand the modern NFL and Kraft backed the wrong guy (badly) and Brady had to move on.

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

Ras-IR Dowling said:
Jacob Rodriguez please.

Kaleb Elarms-Orr out of TCU is a guy who fits the Vrabel ILB mold and could be had in the middle rounds. I like the look of that kid.

Jack Kelly out of BYU is a bigger guy but athletic, could be had late in the draft.

VJCPatriot · Apr 7, 2026

manxman2601 said:

The last of the Belichick flops has been cut. Mapu was pretty much a career special teamer with the Patriots having started only 10 games out of 44 appearances.

Looks like the Patriots feel they can easily replace him in the upcoming draft. Or maybe they have already replaced him with KJ Britt.

PATSYLICIOUS · Apr 7, 2026

jmt57 said:
At first I thought this was old news from a month ago, but then remembered it was another jag, Tavai, who was released due to a failed physical.

Lol i thought i was the only one who did that. When i saw the thread title i was thinking “he’s still on the team??”

reflexblue · Apr 7, 2026

BennyBledsoe said:
Was anybody a fan of this pick?

I remember posting a 217 lb linebacker. WTF. I thought he was to lite.

Real fan 02 · Apr 7, 2026

203Pat said:
I will never forget that video of him as a rookie in one of his first training camp practices doing one of the footwork drills. He looked incredibly slow. So slow that it stood out to me and I drastically reduced any expectations I had for him. For a guy who was supposed to fit the mold of Aiyuk or AJ Brown he was always so damn soft. Brady pretty much sent him to Siberia after he got bullied by Bradley Roby against the Texans on that red zone INT.

To me Harry always stands out as the final nail in the coffin on Brady staying here. Bill wasn't providing Brady with adequate pass catchers for a while and the various whiffs that season (the AB fiasco, a washed Josh Gordon released midway, the disastrous Sanu trade) showed Bill didn't understand the modern NFL and Kraft backed the wrong guy (badly) and Brady had to move on.

Great summary... this felt like i was reading a patiots insider piece.. is this tom curran?..LOL.. wow that was spot on. Hard to argue against that! Yeah that sanu trade was just awful.. imagine that season we started off with Jules, Myers, Gordon, slow Nkeal and then AB.

To finish the season with Jules, Myers and sanu.. ugh.. I can only imagine how frustrated Brady was.. I'd also say had AB had been able to keep himself in line we get back to another SB I truly believe.. in 2019

Grogan14 · Apr 7, 2026

Another BBB ( Bill Belichick Bust).
BBB's are heading for triple digits

Great job by "the genius". He could have picked (instead of Mapu)

Byron Young
Tucker Kraft
Josh Down
Devon Achane
Tank Bigsby
Kobie Turner
Darnell Washington
Tre Tucker

2 stud TE's he missed out on but he is a football savant. He was probably too busy chasing after Jordan.

mgteich · Apr 7, 2026

Ross12 said:
2025 LB room:
- Spillane
- Ellis
- Tavai
- Gibbens
- Mapu

2026 LB room:
- Spillane
- Ellis
- ~~Tavai~~ ???
- ~~Gibbens~~ Muma
- ~~Mapu~~ Britt

4 is enough for position ILBs. Muma and Britt should work out fine.

We will likely carry 9 LB's including ILB's, EDGE rushers and ST speciialists. So, we still need five

We currently have
Jones
Ponder
Landry
Laketa
Swinson

We need 2-3 more, depending on Landry's health.

PatsFan2 · Apr 7, 2026

Grogan14 said:
Another BBB ( Bill Belichick Bust).
BBB's are heading for triple digits

Great job by "the genius". He could have picked (instead of Mapu)

Byron Young
Tucker Kraft
Josh Down
Devon Achane
Tank Bigsby
Kobie Turner
Darnell Washington
Tre Tucker

2 stud TE's he missed out on but he is a football savant. He was probably too busy chasing after Jordan.

Don't remind me please; His favorite minion DaPrunes wants your head.

203Pat · Apr 7, 2026

Real fan 02 said:
Yes.. Eugene Wilson was a Safety here next to Hot rod for a bit.. solid player.. but yes to your point all the DB bust has to be a franchise record. It must be? Tavon Austin was a Safety as well?

Seems like during the time we hit on more UDFA then some drafted guys..

Butler, Jackson...

Yeah Wilson was another safety who basically only ended up playing special teams. Bill did seem to make up for whiffing on second round DBs via UDFA and solid trades/signings. Revis and Gilmore were home run signings and the Talib trade was a steal. Then there was the long list of guys like Kyle Arrington, JC Jackson, Malcolm Butler, Jonathan Jones, Randall Gay, and to some extent even Alfonso Dennard for a minute that Bill found as UDFAs/other team's practice squads.

203Pat · Apr 7, 2026

Real fan 02 said:
Great summary... this felt like i was reading a patiots insider piece.. is this tom curran?..LOL.. wow that was spot on. Hard to argue against that! Yeah that sanu trade was just awful.. imagine that season we started off with Jules, Myers, Gordon, slow Nkeal and then AB.

To finish the season with Jules, Myers and sanu.. ugh.. I can only imagine how frustrated Brady was.. I'd also say had AB had been able to keep himself in line we get back to another SB I truly believe.. in 2019

It might be wishful thinking but I think if Harry had the impact of some of the other receivers in his draft class (AJ Brown, Metcalf, Mclaurin, or Deebo) had almost instantly that Brady would have stayed. Brady gets another couple years with a playmaker on a cheap deal and some faith that Bill could hit on a receiver. So much hinged on that pick and when it failed Bill started chasing it and never recovered.

Real fan 02 · Apr 7, 2026

203Pat said:
Yeah Wilson was another safety who basically only ended up playing special teams. Bill did seem to make up for whiffing on second round DBs via UDFA and solid trades/signings. Revis and Gilmore were home run signings and the Talib trade was a steal. Then there was the long list of guys like Kyle Arrington, JC Jackson, Malcolm Butler, Jonathan Jones, Randall Gay, and to some extent even Alfonso Dennard for a minute that Bill found as UDFAs/other team's practice squads.

Sorry Wilson I mean.. T. Wilson. It's odd I'd really like to know the ratios between all Organizations the past 10 years of 1st and second round pick bust. Yes and I'd say Butler and JC Jackson became PRO bowlers during thier careers coming from UDFAs. JC had such great instincts and ball skills.. Butler had so much heart and physicality.. last I remember Arrington he was getting benched in the superbowl..dennard undersized but played hard..Randall gay was solid here and filled in admirably for Ty. Jon Jones probably most classy of guys on and off the field would have been nice for him to finish his career a patiots player.

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

Ross12 said:
2025 LB room:
- Spillane
- Ellis
- Tavai
- Gibbens
- Mapu

2026 LB room:
- Spillane
- Ellis
- ~~Tavai~~ ???
- ~~Gibbens~~ Muma
- ~~Mapu~~ Britt

Younger, better, cheaper = the draft

mgteich · Apr 7, 2026

Wozzy said:
Younger, better, cheaper = the draft

sounds good. Surely a 5th rounder will be cheaper and younger than Tavai and Mapu.
OT
EDGE
EDGE
S
TE

mayoclinic · Apr 7, 2026

BennyBledsoe said:
Was anybody a fan of this pick?

Daniel Jeremiah. Said Mapu was his favorite player in the draft.

Water Boy · Apr 7, 2026

et tu, Mapu?

mayoclinic · Apr 7, 2026

Wozzy said:
Kaleb Elarms-Orr out of TCU is a guy who fits the Vrabel ILB mold and could be had in the middle rounds. I like the look of that kid.

Jack Kelly out of BYU is a bigger guy but athletic, could be had late in the draft.

2 if the best day 3 options out there. Both could be serious contributors, Elarms-Orr a starter. 4.47 speed.

rkarp1 · Apr 7, 2026

Grogan14 said:
Another BBB ( Bill Belichick Bust).
BBB's are heading for triple digits

Great job by "the genius". He could have picked (instead of Mapu)

Byron Young
Tucker Kraft
Josh Down
Devon Achane
Tank Bigsby
Kobie Turner
Darnell Washington
Tre Tucker

2 stud TE's he missed out on but he is a football savant. He was probably too busy chasing after Jordan.

"the good picks were Bill's. the bad picks were collaboration". Wozzy

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

mgteich said:
sounds good. Surely a 5th rounder will be cheaper and younger than Tavai and Mapu.
OT
EDGE
EDGE
S
TE

11 picks, also UDFAgency… there’s a lot of options to improve.

Real fan 02 · Apr 7, 2026

Wozzy said:
11 picks, also UDFAgency… there’s a lot of options to improve.

Agreed. That is why I'll stay inclined to believe Vrabel's moves are all calculated.

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Patriots Player Departure Marte Mapu Released [UPDATE: Traded to HOU - Mapu+7th for 6th]

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