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

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

rkarp1 said:
"the good picks were Bill's. the bad picks were collaboration". Wozzy

They were all collaboration. Bob said so…

But we did see collaboration without Bill’s input in 2024, it was a disaster.

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

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

Both guys are good athletes, I like them better than some more heralded prospective higher picks.

mayoclinic · Apr 7, 2026

Chris Trapasso has Elarms-Orr as his #15 overall player, 1st round grade.

JoeSixPat · Apr 7, 2026

rkarp1 said:
how is s a player that played 58% of ST snaps demoted? imo he was a regular weekly contributor on 2-3 ST groups.

He played 466 snaps on D in 2024 starting 9 of 10 games - I'm sure his agent is telling other teams that the 120 snaps he played on D in 2025 was a "promotion"

None of us here are dissing ST - His spot will almost certainly be filled with a rookie or UDFA who has more upside as getting cut is definitely a demotion

Steve102 · Apr 7, 2026

Two coaches later, this team's been back to the Super Bowl, but here we are, *****ing about Bill Belichick.

Water Boy · Apr 7, 2026

A S/LB hybrid is likely their sites in the draft. Kyle Louis or Harold Perkins perhaps?

mgteich · Apr 7, 2026

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

Sounds good.

I understand. Veterans should be replaced by 5th rounders, 6th rounders, 7th rouders and UDFA's.

BTW, How many contributors to Offense and Defense came out of last year's draftees after Round 4 and day-after UDFA signings, arguably the best effort ever?

I agree that Ponder was a major find from the usual 1-2 UDFA's drafted right after the draft. Who were the rest who were and are likely to be contributors in 2026 and beyond? Vrabel did what many coaches do. He used the 6th and after to focus on STers. Maybe Bryant will make the team this year, and maybe not.

Sure, we should try. And we will succeed with some. However, counting on getting roster players to fill holes in the roster seems somehow wrong.
================
IMO, Vrabel will use Rounds 1-5 to fill holes and develop players, expecting all to make the roster. After that, he will focus on ST's and take out the darts to hopefully get one position player (Byrant in 2025).

Borg140 · 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.

The Harry pick was highly frustrating considering it came out later that the scouts specifically told Belichick not to draft him. That was the year BB lost his fastball as far as I’m concerned.

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

mgteich said:
Sounds good.

I understand. Veterans should be replaced by 5th rounders, 6th rounders, 7th rouders and UDFA's.

BTW, How many contributors to Offense and Defense came out of last year's draftees after Round 4 and day-after UDFA signings, arguably the best effort ever?

I agree that Ponder was a major find from the usual 1-2 UDFA's drafted right after the draft. Who were the rest who were and are likely to be contributors in 2026 and beyond? Vrabel did what many coaches do. He used the 6th and after to focus on STers. Maybe Bryant will make the team this year, and maybe not.

Sure, we should try. And we will succeed with some. However, counting on getting roster players to fill holes in the roster seems somehow wrong.
================
IMO, Vrabel will use Rounds 1-5 to fill holes and develop players, expecting all to make the roster. After that, he will focus on ST's and take out the darts to hopefully get one position player (Byrant in 2025).

Who said starters, how about contributors?

Players are found in every round of the draft and even the undrafted ranks. Stefon Diggs was a 5th rounder, Onwenu and Boutte were 6th round picks, Spillane and Ellis were undrafted…. I could go on and on.

Also just because a drafted player isn’t starting as a rookie doesn’t mean he won’t become a starter in a year or two or three. That’s a silly barometer to judge last year’s draft class on. They don’t need starters this year anyway barring injury.

mgteich · Apr 7, 2026

Wozzy said:
Who said starters, how about contributors?

Fair enough,

Other than Ponder, who were the contributors to the Offense and Defense from last year's really great draft after the 4th round. Please feel free to include the UDFA's drafted immediately after the draft.

And, OK, who were those who replaced veterans on the 53-man roster and are expected to be contributors in the future?

With such a great draft and UDFA signings, this should be a long list.
===========
BTW, I suspect that you are about to change the measuring metric from contributor (not starter) in his first year to "likely to make the roster in his 2nd year".

Crazy Patriot Guy · Apr 7, 2026

Steve102 said:
Two coaches later, this team's been back to the Super Bowl, but here we are, *****ing about Bill Belichick.

Don't you get it? If Belichick had drafted all the right guys, this team would be stacked right now for Drake Maye!! You see.....because....even with the massive infusion of talent......we still would have been picking 3rd overall in 2024......because.......yeah.

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

mgteich said:
Fair enough,

Other than Ponder, who were the contributors to the Offense and Defense from last year's really great draft after the 4th round. Please feel free to include the UDFA's drafted immediately after the draft.

And, OK, who were those who replaced veterans on the 53-man roster and are expected to be contributors in the future?

With such a great draft and UDFA signings, this should be a long list.
===========
BTW, I suspect that you are about to change the measuring metric from contributor (not starter) in his first year to "likely to make the roster in his 2nd year".

I don’t know what point you’re trying to make or why the 4th round is some line of demarcation… probably because Woodson in the 4th was a stud. But three picks after the fourth round were special teamers and all three were starters. Farmer was contributing until he got hurt. Beyond that Bryant and Swinson made the active roster, Bryant never left it.

And again… why do you keep saying starters? How many starters in year one do they need from the rookies? None, one, two max if there are injuries. The entire 2026 draft picks don’t come from the 5th round on, so I don’t know what point you’re trying to make.

They had the best record in the NFL, made a Super Bowl… they’re adding 11 picks and have plenty of roster spots to add more players. Only on a Patriots fan forum would this be considered a dire situation.

ctpatsfan77 · Apr 7, 2026

Apparently they found a trade partner. I assume it's something like HOU's 2027 6 for a 2027 7 back.

Hey @Ross12 . . . Title edit?

SammyBlueCat · Apr 7, 2026

I am not surprised

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

ctpatsfan77 said:
Apparently they found a trade partner. I assume it's something like HOU's 2027 6 for a 2027 7 back.

Solid.

manxman2601 · Apr 7, 2026

PATSYLICIOUS · Apr 7, 2026

Something better than nothing

manxman2601 · Apr 7, 2026

We do like 6th round picks. 4 this year, 3 next year so far.

n1997y · Apr 7, 2026

ctpatsfan77 said:
Apparently they found a trade partner. I assume it's something like HOU's 2027 6 for a 2027 7 back.

Perhaps Mapu and our 6th for Houston’s 6th? Only reasons Houston would trade for him are he’s under contract, and they don’t have to worry about any other team competing for his services. No great value propositions.

I think it’s clear Vrabel is being very intentional about churning the roster. My response to the earlier posts about “why now?” is “why wait?”. He knows Mapu will never be more than he is, so why keep him as a camp body when a UDFA camp body might surprise with unexpected upside? Someone commented this felt like a move that would be made cutting down to 53 and it made me realize Vrabel is constructing his 53 every day, 365 days a year. Once he decided Mapu was not going to fit what he wants for his 53 Vrabel cut him right away. It clears space for another prospect and avoids wasting time for the player and the staff. Room for one more UDFA is better than using a roster slot for a player Vrabel has decided won’t ever be a significant contributor.

Next man up!

n1997y · Apr 7, 2026

manxman2601 said:
We do like 6th round picks. 4 this year, 3 next year so far.

Now package them to trade up in earlier rounds…

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

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