The New England Patriots claimed linebacker Darius Muasau off waivers from the New York Giants on Monday. We examine what role he’ll play on the 53-man roster in Foxboro.
The New England Patriots continued to re-shape the 53-man roster with waiver claims on Monday.
A persistent position of need throughout the offseason, New England has endured inconsistency from their second-level defenders in training camp practices and preseason games. Some players rose to challenge, while others wilted under the pressure of live action. Still searching for answers, the Patriots turned to the waiver wire in an attempt to provide a spark. What they found was a former late-round draft pick turned productive starter formerly of the New York Giants.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest addition to the New England linebacking corps, Darius Muasau:
Who is Darius Muasau?
Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau (53) reacts after an interception against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn ImagesMuasau, 25, was originally selected by New York in the sixth-round (No. 183 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The former Hawaii Rainbow Warriors’ (2019-2021) and UCLA Golden Bears’ (2022-2023) linebacker played in 63 contests across a five-year collegiate career, registering 440 tackles, 40 tackles-for-loss, 16.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and five interceptions. He was named First-Team All-Mountain West Conference with Hawaii in 2020 and 2021, and Second-Team All-PAC 12 Conference with UCLA in 2022 and 2023.
At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Muasau measured in at 5’11 ⅞”, 225 pounds, with 31 ½” arms and 9 ½” hands. He ran a 4.7 second 40-yard dash (1.59 second 10-yard split), jumped 36.5” in the vertical jump and 9’9” in the broad jump. His testing metrics earned a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 5.73, ranking 1,235th of 2,889 linebacker prospects from 1987-2024.
As a prospect, Muasau flashed as a downhill thumper from the second-level who was touted for his unrelenting motor, reliable instincts, and quick play recognition ability. What he lacked in size and athleticism, Muasau made up for with production. That translated to the professional level with the Giants.
Muasau has played in 27 games with 18 starts in his two seasons in New York, recording 106 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception. He took at least 55% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2024 and 2025, and was a core special teamer in 2024 with 247 snaps and five tackles across five units.
Muasau’s Role
Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs with the ball against New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau (53) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesMuasau has an opportunity to fill a currently vacant role behind Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss behind the starters in Foxboro.
This spring, the Patriots moved on from their top substitute, Jack Gibbens, allowing the restricted free agent to sign a tender with the Arizona Cardinals that was not matched. Instead, New England brought in K.J. Britt via free agency and added rookies Namdi Obiazor (sixth round, No. 212 overall) and Khalil Jacobs (undrafted free agent) to a room that already featured Chad Muma.
Through the early part of the summer, it appeared as if Muma was the frontrunner to assume the hole left by Gibbens, often running with the first-team defense and wearing the green dot to call out signals when Spillane wasn’t on the field. That changed quickly when training camp and the preseason arrived. Muma’s fall from grace was notable with each passing week — he played later into games, struggled to hold his ground in zone coverage, and missed several tackles on reserves and backups.
Britt, Obiazor, and Jacobs each made the initial 53-man roster while Muma was left on the outside looking in. Still, the changes in that room weren’t complete, as it was announced yesterday that Jacobs was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. To make space for waiver claims, Britt was released, but is expected to return. The vested veteran did not have to go through waivers when cut, providing an avenue to return once open space on the roster is made official.
At bare minimum, Muasau helps plug the holes created by the loss of Jacobs during the first month of the season. More realistically, this was a thin position group that was searching for another contributor ahead of the rookies, and they found that with Muasau. He’ll work his way into the linebacker rotation immediately (sans-Britt) and can double as a core special teamer.
Looking Ahead
Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants linebacker Darius Muasau (53) defends against Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn ImagesMuasau provides a much-needed additional layer of depth to the second-level of the Patriots’ defense. While not the most high-profile signing late in the summer, he brings experience and proven production to a group that was barren of those two traits. Muasau was a value add at the back-end of the waiver wire that is positioned to make contributions immediately.
What do you think Darius Muasau can bring to the linebacker group in New England? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
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