Patriots

Patriots reportedly sign Jahlani Tavai to two-year contract extension

Tavai, who has started the past seven games at linebacker, has inked a new deal with New England.

Jahlani Tavai signed as a free agent last year after two seasons with the Lions.

November 29, 2022

The Patriots have signed linebacker Jahlani Tavai to a two-year, $4.4 million extension extension through 2024, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 246 pound linebacker has started seven games in a row and has 38 tackles this season. He didn’t make any starts last season with the Patriots.

Tavai spent his first two years in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, where Patriots senior football adviser Matt Patricia was head coach at the time.

The Patriots and LB Jahlani Tavai have agreed to a two-year, $4.4M extension through 2024, per source.

Tavai has started 7 straight games on defense and is a core special teamer as well. He has 38 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 29, 2022

Detroit selected Tavai in the second-round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Hawaii.

In addition to his expanding role on defense, Tavai is also a key special teams player for the Patriots.

Following the departures of Kyle Van Noy and Dont’a Hightower, there were opportunities for linebackers to show their abilities heading into the season.

Now, as the Patriots enter the final stretch of the regular season, it appears Tavai has shown enough to earn an extension.