Jahlani Tavai agreed to a three-year extension on Tuesday, locking him into the Patriots’ defensive plans for the foreseeable future.
It’s a move head coach Jerod Mayo likely had a great deal to do with, as you’d be hard-pressed to find a player who fits New England’s defensive identity better than the 27-year-old.
Mayo has been extremely open throughout his first offseason at the head of the table, perhaps to a fault at certain times. He’s expressed strong belief in players, coaches and new ideologies. And though he’s walked back a few public statements, he’s been steadfast with one thing in particular.
“We’re a game plan team, as I always say, and we’re going to do what is best for our team to win games,” Mayo said during OTAs in May.
Tavai, perhaps more than anyone else in New England, can slot into different roles defensively and provide the same level of impact. He played a total of 838 snaps in 2023, with 302 coming on the edge following a season-ending injury to Matthew Judon.
Can you say game plan defender?
Anfernee Jennings (obvious run situations) and Joshua Uche (obvious pass situations) combined to fill those Judon snaps early, but Tavai’s versatility to play on all three downs gave him a leg up and really set him apart from the other linebackers in the building last season.
Tavai contributed the second most total snaps (1,196) on the Patriots in 2023, falling just short of team leader Kyle Dugger (1,236). He was also the only member of the defense to contribute 300-plus snaps in coverage and 85-plus snaps rushing the passer.
New England likely won’t need to lean on Tavai’s versatility as much in 2024. Judon is back. Sione Takitaki will be leaned on in passing situations off the ball. The Patriots’ surplus of defensive backs should lead to more nickel and dime looks.
Tavai doesn’t need to worry about any of that, though, because he’s the guy who can fill in anywhere while others lean on specific situations to find their way onto the field. The Patriots, now that they’ve paid him, will lean on the 2019 second-round pick in a number of different situations, just like Mayo wanted.
