According to reports first broken by ESPN's Mike Reiss and Adam Schefter, the Patriots are handing linebacker Jahlani Tavai a three-year contract extension worth up to $21 million. Tavai was set to become a free agent following the 2024 season and is now locked up with New England through the 2027 season.
Tavai was a second-round pick, selected 41st overall by the Lions under Matt Patricia in 2019 and spent two seasons in Detroit, starting 16 games and posting 58 total tackles in both 2019 and 2020. But he was a camp casualty late in the summer of 2021 and immediately joined the Patriots practice squad. Tavai was promoted to the active roster in early October and has seen his role and contributions continue to grow ever since with the Patriots.
He appeared in 13 games with the Pats in 2021, playing just 56 defensive snaps but finding a role with special teams. In 2022 his role on defense grew to 50 percent of the snaps and in 2023 it jumped to 74 percent.
A surprisingly athletic linebacker for his size, New England's game plan defense made full use of Tavai's versatility and high-energy play. He can effortlessly shift from off the ball to the edge and make game-changing plays from either spot.
2023 was his most productive season yet, as Tavai recorded two interceptions, five passes defended, two forced fumbles and an interception to go with his career-high 110 combined tackles. Despite a down year with just four wins, Tavai was a consistent force on the field and a key member of a defense that still maintained a high level of play.
Set to turn 28 in September, Tavai is just reaching his prime and will now do so in a defense that has finally tapped his draft potential, making him a key building block for the Patriots defense moving forward.
He becomes the eighth Patriot from 2023 to sign a multi-year contract with the team under its new administration, a list that includes Hunter Henry (three-year deal), Kyle Dugger (four-year deal), Christian Barmore (four-year deal), Anfernee Jennings (three-year deal), Kendrick Bourne (three-year deal), Michael Onwenu (three-year deal) and Rhamondre Stevenson (four-year deal).
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