SURPRISING: Patriots New Comer Announces Jersey Number Change

Drake Maye

There is going to be a number change in New England this year.

According to inside Mike Kadlick, second-year linebacker Marte Mapu will be switching jersey numbers in 2024.

Since former running back Ezekiel Elliot left to go back to Dallas this offseason, the No. 15 jersey is available.

#Patriots former-third round pick Marte Mapu will officially be making the switch to #15 next season, per

Mapu wore the same number during his time at Sacramento State.

The California native played sparingly under former head coach Bill Belichick as a rookie.

He played in all 17 games but started just one time.

Against the Kansas City Chiefs late in the season in Week 15, he recorded his first career interception.

He finished his rookie season with 18 total tackles, a pass deflection, a forced fumble, and that one interception.

Moving forward under new head coach Jerod Mayo, look for Mapu to get some more playing time and ascend up the defensive depth chart.

The former third-round pick paid his dues on special teams last year and is now ready for a bigger role.

Perhaps that interception off of arguably the best quarterback in the game will propel him to getting more snaps on defense.

He played 47% of the special teams snaps and just 18% of the defensive snaps.

Look for the latter to increase.

Perhaps the number change will make him feel more comfortable and fired up.

The Pats would greatly benefit from it because he wasn’t a first-round pick that they are betting everything on.

He is an ascending role player that will have the potential to make an impact at both linebacker and safety in 2024 and beyond.

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Here are a few other scouting updates from around the AFC:

After establishing Eliot Wolf as the pinnacle of their personnel structure the Patriots have made a number of alterations to their staff. According to Stratton, pro scouting director Steve Cargile and area scout Taylor Redd will not be returning for the 2024 NFL season. Cargile had been with New England since 2011, while Redd had been around since 2018, meaning both were around for the team’s most recent Super Bowl victory. Replacing Redd will be new area scout Casey Belongia, previously of the Jaguars. Belongia started his career as an equipment manager for the Packers, residing in Green Bay at the same time as Wolf.
Lastly, the Browns are bringing Josh Lucas back to the game as their Mid-Atlantic area scout, per Stratton. Lucas had spent the past two years away from the game of football after serving as the Bears director of player personnel. Prior to his time in Chicago, Lucas had been an area scout for the Saints for 10 years and an intern in Jacksonville.