Patriots Rewarded Player With $15 Million Extension Ahead Of 2024 Season

The New England Patriots aren’t done making changes and they have finally agreed to give linebacker Jahlani Tavai a contract extension. It was a good decision as Tavai tied for second on the Patriots in tackles in 2023.

Tavai’s new deal has a base value of $15 million and it can go up to $21 million. The linebacker enters the final year of the extension he signed in November 2022. He was set to earn a base salary of $1.625 million in the upcoming season.

This extension is part of the offseason trend for the Patriots under Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo. The Patriots re-signed a great number of the Patriots’ top unrestricted free agents back in March. They are now busy trying to sign players who had a season remaining on their contracts. This group also includes running back Rhamondre Stevenson, center David Andrews, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore.

The Patriots had $85 million early in the offseason and they have about $40 million now.

Patriots had a few good reasons to give Tavai an extension

Tavai measures at 6’2’’, 255 pounds. He joined the NFL as a second-round pick for the Detroit Lions in 2019. The linebacker didn’t have the best performance with the Lions and joining the Patriots seemed like a good decision.

Tavai saw action in all 17 regular-season games in the past two seasons and started 28 games. In 2023, Tavai had 107 tackles which ties him with safety Kyle Dugger. The Patriots had a few good reasons to give Tavai an extension. He has great physicality and football intelligence. Mayo will definitely appreciate his ability to play inside and outside linebacker and on the punt protection unit.

Patriots rookies will report for training camp July 18. Veterans will join their teammates July 23. Patriots players will have their first practice on July 24. They are entering a new chapter and hopefully, they will meet the best of all expectations.