Patriots sign linebacker Jahlani Tavai to 53-man roster from practice squad

With two starting offensive linemen on the Covid-19 reserve list and a third on injured reserve, the New England Patriots entered the week with an active roster of 50.

Jahlani Tavai has since taken one opening.

The Patriots signed the 24-year-old linebacker from the practice squad on Wednesday, according to the NFL transaction wire.

Tavai twice served as a standard elevation this fall for the Patriots, playing nine snaps on defense and 17 snaps on special teams over matchups with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Hawaii product originally entered the league with the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2019 draft. He joined New England’s practice squad at its formation in September after clearing waivers, reuniting with former Detroit head coach Matt Patricia.

Through 33 games and 16 starts in his career, Tavai has recorded 116 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception.

The practice squad stood at capacity for the Patriots following the addition of veteran safety Sean Davis.

The Dallas Cowboys visit Gillette Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday.