Mapu was one of Bill Belichick's final draft picks prior to his departure in early 2024 as head coach.
ESPN's Mike Reiss reported on Tuesday morning that the New England Patriots have notified linebacker Marte Mapu that he has been released.
If there ever was a player who could adapt to the versatility that the Patriots often looked for in players, it was Mapu. Drafted in the third round in 2023 by Bill Belichick, Mapu also played both special teams and a little bit of safety, along with linebacker, in his three seasons with the Patriots.
He finishes his tenure with the team with 89 tackles, three interceptions, .5 sacks, one QB hit, and 12 pass breakups in 44 games with 10 starts.
Mapu was a pick out of Sacramento State in what ended up being Belichick's last draft for the Patriots. It was a draft class for the Patriots that also saw Christian Gonzalez, punter Bryce Baringer, and wide receivers Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas brought in, along with Mapu.
In Mike Vrabel's version of the Patriots, Mapu saw a lot of action on third down, thanks to his speed and protection skills, as he doubled as a safety. It worked well in passing-down situations.
The move to relieve Mapu of his duties in Foxborough comes at an intriguing time, as many wonder what the order of things will look like in the NFL draft, with positions as a priority.
The Patriots now have linebackers Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, K.J. Britt, Chad Muma, Amari Gainer, and Otis Reese. They also released Jahlani Tavai and let Jack Gibbens enter free agency, where he joined the Arizona Cardinals.
There is a need for more depth at the position, which only adds to the argument that the team will look to add to it in the draft.
Mapu was in the final year of a $5.5 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of just over $1 million.
The move only frees up $1.5 million in cap space for the Patriots, which may not be much, but it adds to their smart financial moves this offseason that have already freed up anywhere from $32 to $35 million as of late March.
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