![Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Chad Muma (48) walks on the field during an NFL scrimmage event at EverBank Stadium, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/55/01m1c8cnqqfrse6hqnep.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Chad Muma (48) walks on the field during an NFL scrimmage event at EverBank Stadium, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
Back in 2022, linebacker was a massive roster void for the Jacksonville Jaguars. That's probably why it wasn't shocking to see then-general manager Trent Baalke sign Foyesade Oluokun in free agency and later use a pair of draft picks on Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma. Fast forward to 2026, and Foye is the only one who remains in Duval.
Whereas Lloyd left because he got a three-year, $45 million deal from the Carolina Panthers, Muma hasn't been able to find his footing. He joined the New England Patriots late in 2025 and spent the offseason with them. However, his tenure in Foxboro came to an end when the Pats waived him on cutdown day.
Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald reported before the final roster cuts that New England was waiving Chad Muma, adding that he was a practice squad candidate. That's certainly not the kind of path he probably envisioned when the Jags picked him in Round 3 of the 2022 draft.
Why the Patriots waived Chad Muma?
Linebacker was seemingly a need for the Patriots, and Chad Muma was expected to compete for a starting job. His stock suffered a massive boost after a strong showing in the offseason program. However, the former Wyoming Cowboys left much to be desired in the preseason. In particular, he struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts.
Now, Muma's best chance to stay in New England will be on the practice squad. Maybe a team in need of linebacker help could sign him to its roster, but that seems highly unlikely.
Before landing with the Pats, Chad Muma had spent part of 2025 with the Colts. Meaning that he's already played for three NFL teams in five seasons.
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Why the Jaguars gave up on Chad Muma?
Chad Muma flashed as a rookie. He even supplanted Devin Lloyd at some point of 2022, but an ankle injury brougth his season to an end. Although the Denver, Colorado native got another chance to start in 2023, he failed to seize it and returned to the bench not long after.
Muma was unremarkable in 2024. Couple that with the fact that a new regime took over the following year, and nobody batted an eye when he was shown the door during cutdown day in 2025.
Compounding the issue is that Muma was one of many dreadful picks Trent Baalke made in 2022. Travon Walker is the best of the bunch. He's not a Pro Bowl talent, but he's most definitely a pretty good starter who just signed a four-year, $110 million extension. Cornerback Montaric Brown, a seventh-round selection in 2022, also returned to Jacksonville on a three-year deal worth $31.5 million. But outside those two, the 2022 draft class was bad.
Apart from Muma, Jacksonville drafted running back Snoop Conner, cornerback Gregory Junior, and center Luke Fortner. All of them flopped, although Fortner is projected to start for the Carolina Panthers next season.
Either way, Chad Muma hasn't been able to live up to his draft billing, and the news that the Patriots released him confirmed why the Jaguars moved on from him in 2025.
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