The Patriots are getting to the point in camp where every snap matters, and for one linebacker, the clock may be nearly out.
Chad Muma has spent much of the summer looking like he could force his way into a meaningful role. The 27-year-old, who was with New England last season, reportedly made enough of an impression to get another look this year, and he even drew a defensive captain role in practice. But that momentum has not carried over into preseason action, and now his uneven play is putting him in real danger of becoming the first training camp cut.
That would be a tough outcome for Muma. It would also be a problem for a Patriots linebacker group that can’t afford to lose bodies. With Harold Landry III still sidelined by injury, the position has already been stretched thin, and the lack of depth has only made Muma’s struggles stand out more sharply.
For a stretch, he looked like a player on a clear path to the 53-man roster. Team reporters had him trending toward a bigger role, and for a defense that has been missing a captain, that seemed like the kind of development New England badly needed. Instead, the preseason has exposed the gap between looking the part in practice and delivering when the games start counting.
At this point, Muma may be hanging on only because the Patriots need linebacker depth, not because they see him as someone who can help on game day. And if the team decides it wants a different kind of fit, he could be the odd man out.
His best shot to change that comes Thursday in the preseason finale against the Browns. If he can’t make a positive impression there, the situation gets even tougher.
If New England does decide to keep looking, the free-agent market still has a few names worth considering. Bobby Wagner is the headliner. The 10-time Pro Bowler, best known for his years with the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defense and their 2014 Super Bowl run, is still unsigned heading into the season.
Wagner is 36, so the age concern is obvious. But he has remained remarkably durable, missing no games since the 2021 season, and he put together a strong 2025 campaign with the Commanders. He finished with 162 combined tackles, 8 for a loss, 9 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, 4 passes defended, and 4.5 sacks.
That kind of production is hard to ignore, especially for a Patriots defense that could use stability and leadership in one of its weakest areas. A move like that would probably be a one-year rental, but with the Patriots’ Super Bowl window described as wide open, it would be a logical swing.
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