The New England Patriots have been missing one key member of their defense through the first few weeks of the season. Veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai has not been on the field since suffering a calf injury during OTAs in June, which saw him get helped off the field and ultimately placed on injured reserve.
Without Tavai, the Patriots have had to lean on the duo of Christian Elliss and Jack Gibbens, which has brought varying results to start the year. However, the good news for head coach Mike Vrabel and the Pats is that they might be getting Tavai back as soon as next week.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Tavai is eligible to return to practice this week. Reiss adds that the veteran linebacker targeted Week 5 as a potential return date after sustaining the calf injury.
If you’re a New England fan, this is great to hear, given the state of the linebacker unit outside of Robert Spillane. While Tavai isn’t great against the pass, he could help out the Pats’ defense as a run stopper and pass rusher.
Patriots LB Jahlani Tavai on Track to Return to Practice in Week 5
Heading into Week 4, the Patriots’ defense has actually been great against the run, allowing 60.3 yards per game (second-fewest in the NFL). They also have nine sacks on the season, so if anything, Tavai will be a positive addition to what New England has already done.
Before getting injured a few months ago, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound linebacker had back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons with the Patriots in 2024 and 2023.
Last year, under then-head coach Jerod Mayo, Tavai had 115 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven QB pressures, five pass deflections, two QB hits, an interception, and a sack.
Looking at the two players starting in place of Tavai – Elliss and Jack Gibbens, it's been a roller coaster ride.
In Week 3, for example, Elliss had a dismal overall defensive grade of 38.2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the season, the veteran linebacker has struggled in pass coverage, allowing 67 yards and a 106.5 pass rating when targeted.
Elliss already has four missed tackles, too, which isn’t great, as he only had six in 2024. Meanwhile, Gibbens has started on defense recently due to Elliss’ struggles, while also contributing on special teams. That said, the Pats will gladly welcome Tavai back to give them more depth on defense and special teams.
New England currently has an open roster spot on their 53-man roster, so it won’t have to cut someone to bring back Tavai.