There are a couple of ways that Patriots safety Marte Mapu could look at the latest move from coach Mike Vrabel, which became apparent this week at the team’s minicamp. Mapu is being asked to play a lot less at strong safety and instead move to more of a hybrid linebacker role–in fact, the Patriots officially named Mapu a linebacker.
That’s not uncommon for players in the NFL of Mapu’s size and athleticism (he is 6-foot-3, 230) so it could be seen as a positive.
But it also could be an indication that Mapu just does not fit with where coach Mike Vrabel sees his defense heading. Mapu was a third-round pick in 2023, and had mostly played linebacker at Sacramento State, so switching positions is nothing new to him. The problem is, if your coach does not know what position you should play, you might find you don’t play much.
Former Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said as much about Mapu last summer.
Said Mayo: “There are times where I look at a guy like Marte. Is Marte a safety? Is he a linebacker? We don’t know.”
Patriots Hoping to Get More From Marte Mapu
Still, Vrabel has a green light to clean house on players who won’t work on his remade team, and with a crowded safety room and a rebuilt linebacker corps, Mapu could just be one of those players. Making a big impact at linebacker this summer might be his only chance to stick with the team.
That’s not to say Mapu has not shown potential. He has recorded 64 tackles in his two years in New England, with seven pass deflections and four forced fumbles. He has also logged two interceptions. Mapu missed seven games in 2024 with a neck injury, but started nine of his 10 games played.
Here’s how Vrabel sized up Mapu’s position change this week: “We don’t want to waste anybody’s time. Just trying to find some versatility for him. He’s got a unique skill set. He’s got a good size, good length. He’s a good blitzer.”
The notion of making Mapu a linebacker because Vrabel does not want to “waste time” probably does not bode well, though.
