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What signing Jahlani Tavai to a contract extension means for the Patriots

Despite being in the deepest parts of the offseason, the New England Patriots are staying busy. On Tuesday, the team of head coach Jerod Mayo and head executive Eliot Wolf reached a contract extension with a defensive starter: linebacker Jahlani Tavai has signed a three-year deal at a base value of $15 million.

What does the move mean for the Patriots, though? Let’s assess it from a big-picture perspective.

The linebacker core stays intact beyond 2024

Playing 838 defensive snaps during the 2023 season — a playing time share of 73.6 percent — Tavai formed a potent off-the-ball linebacker duo together with teammate Ja’Whaun Bentley.