Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots made the surprise decision to release longtime veteran Ja’Whaun Bentley on Friday. The 28-year-old linebacker, who spent the past seven years in Foxborough after being selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, was cut after GM Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel revamped the LB room in the offseason.

Considering how Bentley was a team leader and a respected locker room presence, the Patriots’ decision to move on from him raised some eyebrows. The fact that Vrabel was willing to part ways with a three-time team captain and one of the longest-tenured Patriots shows that he is trying to put his stamp on the roster.

Jahlani Tavai On Thin Ice After Patriots Cut Ja’Whaun Bentley

This means that other Patriots veterans could also be on the chopping block. One of those names is fellow linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who spent the past four seasons in New England. Despite signing a three-year contract extension in the 2024 offseason, Tavai could very well see himself out the door after the team’s moves in free agency.

After playing in every game and lining up in 82% of defensive snaps for the Patriots last season, Tavai will almost certainly not see the same snap count next season. Not only did he have his least productive season as a Patriots, receiving a 55.5 defensive grade on PFF, but he was also replaced by higher-profile linebackers in the pecking order.

The Patriots signed Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens in free agency and retained Christian Elliss after he received an offer sheet from the Raiders. Tavai is arguably behind these names in the rotation. If Vrabel wants to continue moving on from the veterans who led this team to back-to-back 4-13 seasons, it’s not hard to see him say goodbye to Tavai next.