Roster cuts for the 2026 season are getting close, and the Patriots will have some difficult decisions to make, but not all will be for good reason. While some positions are overflowing with talent, like the wide receiver room, others lack serious depth and can't afford to lose any potential playmaker.
One of the most needy groups remains the linebackers, especially with Harold Landry III still sidelined with an injury. That has given depth players a chance to make a name for themselves and earn a more prominent role on defense, and for much of the summer, Chad Muma has been a top name.
The 27-year-old spent last season in New England and impressed enough to earn another shot this year. He's had a standout summer, earning a role as defensive captain in practice, but his performance hasn't yet translated to the preseason games.
In fact, his lackluster showing is creating holes in his potential and painting him as the easiest first cut of training camp. That's a disaster for not only Muma, but the Patriots, too, who need all the linebacker help they can get at this point.
Struggles by the Patriots' leading linebackers is a worst-case scenario they're already dealing with
Landry's absence throughout training camp has already proven more problematic for the Patriots than many likely believed, and the linebackers' struggles are the clearest sign.
There are already worries about the team's lack of depth, and this group is among the weakest, so seeing a player like Muma turn into a pumpkin once it's game time is far from ideal.
He was looking like a potential starter for much of the summer, with team reporters signaling that he was doing all the right things to earn a bigger role for the upcoming season. It seemed like a dream scenario for a defense that was missing a captain, only for Muma to fail to keep the momentum going when things mattered most.
It's a sharp decline for a player who was on a straight path to the 53-man roster, and at this point, there's a chance he only makes the team because they need more depth and not because they believe he can be an asset on game day.
But there's also a strong chance he's cut to make room for a linebacker that the Patriots feel could be a better fit for what they need, mostly more productive when the games actually count.
That's looking more likely if he can't turn things around in the preseason finale against the Browns on Thursday. It's probably Muma's final chance to make a positive impression on his coaches, and if he can't do that, then his days are easily numbered.
The Patriots might want to look at the top remaining free agents ahead of Week 1
Although the pool of free agents at this stage of the offseason is well picked over, there are still a few intriguing names that could be, and maybe should be, on the Patriots' radar.
The most notable is Bobby Wagner, a 10-time Pro Bowler known for his time on the Seahawks' Legion of Boom defense, which helped win them their first Super Bowl in 2014. For some reason, he's still unsigned for the upcoming season, creating a potential opportunity for the Patriots to add reliability to their defensive line.
While his age is far from ideal, as he is 36 years old, he has been a consistent playmaker for any team he's been a part of throughout his career and hasn't missed a single game since the 2021 season.
He had one of his most productive years with the Commanders in 2025, recording 162 combined tackles, 8 for a loss, 9 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, 4 passes defended, and 4.5 sacks. It might not be his most impressive stat line, but for his age and given how the Commanders' season went, it's significantly better than most are giving him credit for.
That's what makes the fact that he's still unsigned more confusing, but it could be the Patriots' chance to bring in a proven leader and playmaker to boost one of their weakest groups.
It would likely be just a one-year rental, and while that's not the most ideal, their Super Bowl window is wide open, and making a move for a player of Wagner's caliber makes too much sense.
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