Sportsnaut
The New England Patriots signed linebacker Jahlani Tavai to a three-year extension worth $16 million last offseason. However, just a year later, it looks like the veteran defender is fighting for a spot on the roster.
Boston.com’s Khari A. Thompson listed Tavai as a surprise cut candidate for the Patriots, who are set to square off against the Minnesota Vikings in two joint practices and a preseason contest this week.
“Cutting your leading tackler in back-to-back years could be a dicey move for any franchise, but it’s exactly what the Patriots would be doing if they cut Tavai. They released Ja’Whaun Bentley last year,” Thompson wrote.
Tavai has missed most of training camp due to a calf injury and though he has been a consistent starter on the defense over the last few years, there’s a ton of competition in the linebacker room.
Robert Spillane is guaranteed a starting spot, while Christian Elliss, Keion White, and Jack Gibbens are pushing for the other starting role with Tavai absent. The 28-year-old is already in danger of losing his starting spot, but it’s not out of the picture that the Patriots could cut him and start fresh in the position group.
Obviously, when healthy, Tavai is a solid contributor. The Hawaii product tallied a career-high 115 tackles in 2024 and hasn’t missed a regular-season game in three years.
However, with the coaching staff completely different in New England, they could cut ties with Tavai and move forward with the linebacker group on the field in camp.
More must-reads:
