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

Ring 6 · Apr 7, 2026

rkarp1 said:
just saying, Mapu was a significant contributor last season
how many udfa's make the roster each season? 1?

Significant contributor? Really?

patfanken · 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.

This is simply not true. Wilson became a multiyear starter for the lions, and, IIRC, was one of leading tacklers among S's for a couple of those years. As a football player he was a solid pick. I always thought Wilson got tarred his rookie year when he was thrown into a game (Seattle, I think) and go fooled on a play action pass for a game winning TD. I thought this was hypocritical of Pats fans who watched HOFer Troy Palamalu get beat on Play action Passes by Brady and the Pats on a yearly basis. Yet somehow Pats fandom never forgave a young rookie one mistake.

IIRC wasn't BB's draft strategy to take a sure bet in round one and take shot in the 2nd. Sometimes you win with a Gronk and sometimes you lose with a Richardson. And when you take shots you are losing more than you win.

As for Mapu, my question isn't that they essentially let him go for nothing, is that why now. I was under the impression that he did a good job on ST's and was learning how to be a LB and would likely be better his 2nd year in the system. So why not do this in camp if he didn't improve. Why the rush?

Wozzy · Apr 7, 2026

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

It’s good, because if the prospect ends up as an UDFA you have to bid against other teams for his services. In some cases highly sought after UDFA’s make more guaranteed money than late round draft picks.

Owning those late picks means you don’t have to bid for players services, you also own their rights for years, but they’re also cheap to cut if they suck.

mgteich · Apr 7, 2026

Wozzy said:
You didn’t mention Patriots drafts, you said in entire league history. Now you’re moving the goalposts to only inclide the Patriots.

I stopped reading. After dozens of pages discussing the patriots draft, I refuse to believe that you thought that I was making comments about last century's MIN drafts.

Someone suggested that we stop this discussion. I will do that. I will simply put you on ignore, certainly until after the draft. I have plenty of draft stuff to keep my busy until then. I have nothing to add to our joint discussions.

Hyped · Apr 7, 2026

patfanken said:
This is simply not true. Wilson became a multiyear starter for the lions, and, IIRC, was one of leading tacklers among S's for a couple of those years. As a football player he was a solid pick. I always thought Wilson got tarred his rookie year when he was thrown into a game (Seattle, I think) and go fooled on a play action pass for a game winning TD. I thought this was hypocritical of Pats fans who watched HOFer Troy Palamalu get beat on Play action Passes by Brady and the Pats on a yearly basis. Yet somehow Pats fandom never forgave a young rookie one mistake.

IIRC wasn't BB's draft strategy to take a sure bet in round one and take shot in the 2nd. Sometimes you win with a Gronk and sometimes you lose with a Richardson. And when you take shots you are losing more than you win.

As for Mapu, my question isn't that they essentially let him go for nothing, is that why now. I was under the impression that he did a good job on ST's and was learning how to be a LB and would likely be better his 2nd year in the system. So why not do this in camp if he didn't improve. Why the rush?

He fell for it TWICE and we went on to lose 24-23 after we went up 23-10.

One-If-By-Sea · 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.

Wilson appeared in 133 games across his 10 year career. He was the starter for the Lions for 4 years. Any draft pick that starts for the duration of their first non-rookie contract is a successful draft pick. Other than being completely wrong ........

VJCPatriot · Apr 8, 2026

Hey we got a pick for Mapu! That's more than I expected TBH. That's welcome news.

Wozzy · Apr 8, 2026

mgteich said:
I stopped reading. After dozens of pages discussing the patriots draft, I refuse to believe that you thought that I was making comments about last century's MIN drafts.

Someone suggested that we stop this discussion. I will do that. I will simply put you on ignore, certainly until after the draft. I have plenty of draft stuff to keep my busy until then. I have nothing to add to our joint discussions.

The best option when faced with having to defend an untenable position of your own making… is to take your ball and go home.

The irony is you created the entire argument from the whole cloth. I have maintained from the beginning they don’t need starters for this year, but you kept moving the conversation towards that.

Enjoy the draft, even though everything that comes after round four is a waste of time according to you.

Triumph · Apr 8, 2026

Wozzy said:
The best option when faced with having to defend an untenable position of your own creation… is to take your ball and go home.

The irony is you created the entire argument from the whole cloth. I have maintained from the beginning they don’t need starters for this year, but you kept moving the conversation towards that.

Enjoy the draft, even though everything that comes after round four is a waste of time according to you.

You have to be the only one on this board that believes the Pats dont need a WR1 to replace Diggs.

Diggs was the 1st Pats WR since Edelman 5 years ago to have a 1000 yard season. The Pats should actually add 2 starting WRs for 2026.

Wozzy · Apr 8, 2026

Triumph said:
You have to be the only one on this board that believes the Pats dont need a WR1 to replace Diggs.

Diggs was the 1st Pats WR since Edelman 5 years ago to have a 1000 yard season. The Pats should actually add 2 starting WRs for 2026.

The QB’s and blocking have sucked since Edelman, we lived through a power struggle between owner and head coach… it’s been a dumpster fire. That’s no qualifier and Edelman was not a #1 WR. Also you arguing 33 year old Diggs is the same player he was at 24 is absurd.

The Patriots also won six rings without “a WR1,” whatever that is. Miami’s had two #1 WR’s in Tyreek and Waddle and they sucked.

You don’t need to have the single best WR in the NFL, you need a really good group of 5-6 WR’s. The desperate need for a #1 WR is a fan myth.

203Pat · Apr 8, 2026

patfanken said:
This is simply not true. Wilson became a multiyear starter for the lions, and, IIRC, was one of leading tacklers among S's for a couple of those years. As a football player he was a solid pick. I always thought Wilson got tarred his rookie year when he was thrown into a game (Seattle, I think) and go fooled on a play action pass for a game winning TD. I thought this was hypocritical of Pats fans who watched HOFer Troy Palamalu get beat on Play action Passes by Brady and the Pats on a yearly basis. Yet somehow Pats fandom never forgave a young rookie one mistake.

IIRC wasn't BB's draft strategy to take a sure bet in round one and take shot in the 2nd. Sometimes you win with a Gronk and sometimes you lose with a Richardson. And when you take shots you are losing more than you win.

As for Mapu, my question isn't that they essentially let him go for nothing, is that why now. I was under the impression that he did a good job on ST's and was learning how to be a LB and would likely be better his 2nd year in the system. So why not do this in camp if he didn't improve. Why the rush?

Wilson was a bust here in New England which makes him a bad pick for New England. On average he played about 18% of the defensive snaps here and the only reason that number is even that high because he played 42% of the defensive snaps his rookie year before it dropped to 2% the next season. He certainly wasn't Bill's worst second round DB pick but we didn't get a lot out of him here.

While no one loves to take a bad player in the second round it didn't hurt as much when you end up with Stevan Ridley, Marcus Cannon, Nate Solder, and Shane Vereen along with Ras-I Dowling or Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower along with Tavon Wilson. When Bill started taking Duke Dawson with Isiah Wynn and Sony Michel or JoeJuan Williams with N'Keal Harry and Chase Winovich is when the wheels started to come off.

While I never really liked the Mapu pick that much in the first place I do agree the timing is odd. They need bodies at LB and even if he wasn't likely to make the team why not let him get into camp at least? Maybe they think Mike Brown or Kindle Vildor (or any of the other special teasers signed this year) will take his role and they wanted the roster spot?

203Pat · Apr 8, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
Wilson appeared in 133 games across his 10 year career. He was the starter for the Lions for 4 years. Any draft pick that starts for the duration of their first non-rookie contract is a successful draft pick. Other than being completely wrong ........

Well let's get the parade route planned for him in Detroit. He didn't do much here.

PatsFan2 · Apr 8, 2026

203Pat said:
Well let's get the parade route planned for him in Detroit. He didn't do much here.

IF Wilson was Drafted by the Jets: he wouldn't even get a response. Patsfans doing what they do best overrate their own and crap on other Teams players.

Triumph · Apr 8, 2026

Wozzy said:
The QB’s and blocking have sucked since Edelman, we lived through a power struggle between owner and head coach… it’s been a dumpster fire. That’s no qualifier and Edelman was not a #1 WR. Also you arguing 33 year old Diggs is the same player he was at 24 is absurd.

The Patriots also won six rings without “a WR1,” whatever that is. Miami’s had two #1 WR’s in Tyreek and Waddle and they sucked.

You don’t need to have the single best WR in the NFL, you need a really good group of 5-6 WR’s. The desperate need for a #1 WR is a fan myth.

Too many lies and goal post on wheels to address.

What does Tua and the Dolphins have to do with this Pats team and Maye? Never mind, I dont even want to know what else is up in your noggin.

Wozzy · Apr 8, 2026

Triumph said:
Too many lies and goal post on wheels to address.

What does Tua and the Dolphins have to do with this Pats team and Maye? Never mind, I dont even want to know what else is up in your noggin.

Slinking off while casting aspersions is always the method when you have no actual answers.

RDS11 · Apr 8, 2026

Wozzy said:
You didn’t mention Patriots drafts, you said in entire league history. Now you’re moving the goalposts to only inclide the Patriots. It’s a silly attempt at misdirection on your part anyway. Most high draft picks make the team for the same reason the Pats held onto Tavai last season. It’s actually more expensive to cut some players than to hold onto them. Guaranteed money is funny that way.

Actually, he correctly stated 'this century'. Your example is from 1999. So unless you have another once, he is correct.

Wozzy · Apr 8, 2026

RDS11 said:
Actually, he correctly stated 'this century'. Your example is from 1999. So unless you have another once, he is correct.

Ronnie Perkins was a 3rd round draft pick who never made the active roster and who was cut. That’s an example from 2021. So no, he’s wrong.

Also he’s wrong because he spun the entire conversation in this direction. It was never the conversation. Never once did I say the Pats were desperately looking for x amount of starters. They aren’t. They have an existing starter at every position barring injury. 11 draft picks is gravy, pure talent infusion.

mgteich · Apr 8, 2026

RDS11 said:
Actually, he correctly stated 'this century'. Your example is from 1999. So unless you have another once, he is correct.

I doubt that even Wozzy checks his posts bfore posting.

Of course, Ronnie Perkins was drafted and made the 53 man roster as every 4th rounder or higher for the patriots this century unless the player was put on IR.

Wozzy · Apr 8, 2026

@RDS11 Here’s Ronnie Perkins PFR page, he was drafted in 2021. You’ll notice his first game active came in 2023 with the Broncos.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PerkRo00.htm

DoubleDeluxe · Apr 8, 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.

I am not a BB apologist, many of his draft picks sucked....no nice way to put it, but you're really classifying Washington as a stud TE? He certainly is not that.

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

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