The New England Patriots recently cut ties with a starting linebacker who could draw interest from the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.
That linebacker is Jahlani Tavai, who was cut loose with two years remaining on his $16 million contract following an injury-shortened 2025 campaign that saw him appear in 12 games.
Tavai has struggled in coverage the past two seasons, but in the two seasons prior he was well above average in that area. He has consistently been a better run defender and tackler, and he can be an asset in the pass-rush.
In 2025, Tavai posted a run defense grade of 75.8, the second-best mark of his career, per Pro Football Focus.
His lackluster 59.5 coverage grade was nothing to write home about, but he did post an elite 82.7 in coverage in 2023, so he's clearly capable of much better.
It's not hard to see why the Packers, Giants and Eagles could have interest.
The Packers and Eagles have suffered losses at the linebacker position in 2026, with Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean both departing for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.
New York is in a better spot at the position with the team re-signing Micah McFadden and signing Tremaine Edmunds, but McFadden is coming off an injury-shortened campaign and the Giants could use more depth as a result.
With Tavai's stock down following a disappointing season, he shouldn't be expensive, which could also make him a bargain.
We would peg the Packers and Eagles as more likely to sign Tavai than the Giants, as those two teams have a much bigger need at linebacker than New York.
More NFL News