After a brutal 2024 season that saw the New England Patriots end up being one of the worst teams in the NFL, the franchise has been very aggressive this offseason.
First and foremost, the Patriots made a head coaching change. They fired Jerod Mayo and replaced him with Mike Vrabel. Following that move, the team got busy improving its roster.
Among the offseason additions were wide receiver Stefon Diggs, pass rusher Harold Landry III, linebacker Robert Spillane, cornerback Carlton Davis III, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, defensive tackle Milton Williams, and many more.
Fans could not be more excited to have OTAs underway. Unfortunately, New England has already suffered a concerning injury.
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On Monday, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that linebacker Jahlani Tavai went down with a right leg injury.
“LB Jahlani Tavai left today’s practice after remaining down for an extended period of time during 11-on-11 drills. Teammates kneeled around him as everything stopped and the music was turned off,” Reiss wrote on X.
“Tavai was eventually helped off by Jabrill Peppers. Limited pressure on right leg.”
Tavai has played for the Patriots for the last four years. During the 2024 NFL season, he played a big role for the team’s defense.
In 17 games last year, Tavai racked up 115 total tackles to go along with a sack, an interception, and five defended passes.
At 28 years old, Tavai has played in 95 career games. He played his first two years with the Detroit Lions before making his move to New England. Throughout his career, he has totaled 424 tackles, 5.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four interceptions, and 14 defended passes.
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To this point, no further updates have been given about Tavai’s status. Hopefully, the injury isn’t something that will stay with him long-term.
Vrabel and company will need all hands on deck to get the Patriots back to their winning ways of the past. Tavai has been expected to have a role defensively this season, although there are a lot of competitions ongoing in camp that will carry over to training camp and the preseason.
Until further reports come out about Tavai’s injury, the concern will continue to remain. More information should be made available at some point in the near future, with more clarity on the veteran linebacker.
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