Jahlani Tavai was one of the standout performers in the Patriots 29-0 shutout of the Lions, as the linebacker has emerged in the last two weeks as a near every-down defender who can play multiple spots.
Signed to the practice squad out of opening cuts in 2021, Tavai was quickly promoted to the active roster last season but spent most of the year as a special teams player (57 percent). But over the last two games, Tavai has played over 75 percent of the defensive snaps in both contests, while playing across the defensive formation. Last week against the Lions, Tavai played snaps on both edges (27 snaps) as well as both inside spots (22 snaps), while also maintaining his presence on special teams (58% of ST snaps).