We're at the point in any NFL offseason when it gets real quiet, and teams aren't making any significant roster moves, as the upcoming draft is just a couple of weeks away. The Patriots are following that trend, despite being heavily connected to a blockbuster trade for receiver AJ Brown, but they did just make a move that inevitably puts more pressure on the higher-ups.
ESPN's Mike Reiss announced on Tuesday morning the Patriots' intention to release linebacker Marte Mapu, a third-round draft pick in 2023. He was set to play on the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, but Mike Vrabel and Co. had other plans.
The 26-year-old has had trouble carving out a role for himself on the defense since he joined the roster, and that remained the case last season. He seemed to get closer to accomplishing that on special teams, but he failed to make an impact strong enough to keep him around for another year.
This now highlights a significant need for the position in the upcoming draft, which was already considered an overlooked hole on the roster. The Patriots now have to prioritize boosting their linebacker room, or risk facing the same issues they had last year.
The Patriots just created a bigger weakness on their defense they have to prioritize in the NFL Draft
While releasing Mapu isn't exactly a surprise, it does feel like an odd time to do so, especially since he could have easily remained with the team for early workouts and brought some competition to the position when the rookies join practices.
Instead, they now have to add linebacker to their list of draft priorities, a weak spot on the defense last season, and it's difficult to predict when they will take a player or who that person will be is difficult to predict.
There are other positions arguably weaker than linebacker that should be addressed first, like EDGE, offensive tackle, and tight end. There's even an argument to be made that wide receiver might be more important, too.
But at the same time, there are questions surrounding the linebacker room as it stands, and if they don't plan to sign any more free agents, then it needs to be a position they add to earlier in the draft than expected.