Jaguars Sign LB Jahlani Tavai

The Jaguars had Tavai in for a visit earlier today. This was the first reported workout for the veteran since he was let go by the Patriots back in March.

A former second-round pick by the Lions, Tavai made a name for himself in New England. After serving as a part-time player through his first two years with the organization, Tavai saw a larger role in both 2023 and 2024. Between those two campaigns, Tavai collected 225 total tackles and a pair of sacks.

The 29-year-old started the 2025 campaign on IR and found himself in a deep LB corps on a revamped Patriots defense upon his return. He ultimately finished last season with 42 tackels in 12 games (seven starts) while getting into about 32 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. He also saw time in each of the Patriots four playoff games, collecting another eight tackles.

The Jaguars already have a deep LBs room with Ventrell Miller, Foyesade Oluokun, Dennis Gardeck, and Jack Kiser. This means Tavai could find himself competing for one of the final roster spots with the likes of Yasir Abdullah, Jalen McLeod, and rookie seventh-round pick Parker Hughes.

Bartlett just joined the Jaguars earlier this week. The former UDFA has bounced around the NFL a bit over the past two years. He got into two games with the Cardinals last year, with all of his snaps coming on special teams.