The New England Patriots will wrap up their preseason slate on Thursday night with a clash against the Cleveland Browns, and after not playing their starters in each of their first two games, fans are curious to see if head coach Mike Vrabel will let his top guys take the field in this one. However, the more important action will take place at the lower level of the roster.
Vrabel hasn’t shied away from saying he feels his team doesn’t have much depth, and the preseason finale will be the final opportunity for players at the bottom of the roster to prove they are worth keeping in town. In a surprise twist, one of New England’s veteran linebackers could be among that group, as Chad Muma has been labeled a cut candidate ahead of the team’s matchup against the Browns.
Chad Muma Labeled Cut Candidate for Patriots
A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Muma has struggled to find his footing so far in his career. While he managed to hang around with the Jacksonville Jaguars for three years, he was rarely used as a starter, and he played sparingly in 2025 while splitting time with the Indianapolis Colts and the Patriots.
New England turned over its linebacker room this offseason, which opened the door for Muma to make a push for a roster spot. Even with this spot being arguably the weakest position on the roster, though, Muma has found himself getting bumped down the depth chart, which isn’t exactly a good sign when it comes to his quest to earn a roster spot.
Right now, Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss are the Pats’ starters, with Muma competing alongside K.J. Britt, Namdi Obiazor, and Amari Gainer for a backup job. Even with that less-than-inspiring group in tow, Muma could find himself being part of the team’s final roster cuts if he doesn’t stand out in their preseason clash against the Browns.
“Muma played deep into the fourth quarter against Philadelphia, not a great sign for a veteran trying to make the roster. It appears he’s quickly tumbled down the depth chart,” Kevin Patra wrote for NFL.com.
Patriots Have Tough Decision to Make on Chad Muma
GettyChad Muma has been labeled a potential cut candidate for the Patriots ahead of their preseason finale
Muma’s ability to stick with the Patriots as a depth option during their Super Bowl run last year seemingly helped his odds of earning a bigger role on defense in 2026. That simply hasn’t materialized, though, as both Britt and Obiazor have outperformed him for the majority of training camp, which has put the front office in a tough spot.
New England needs to nail its depth chart at linebacker, because if Spillane or Elliss goes down with an injury, it could be in trouble. Muma’s inability to make a charge for a roster spot to this point has been quite concerning, and it seems like he’s facing an uphill battle to earn a roster spot. A big performance against Cleveland could change things, but Muma is running out of time to prove he belongs on this team.
Patriots 4-Year NFL Veteran Linebacker Named as Cut Candidate Ahead of Browns Game