Releasing Ja’Whaun Bentley proved the New England Patriots’ commitment to changing their defense on the watch of new head coach Mike Vrabel, and the bulky middle linebacker might not be the only starter who is shown the door.
Bentley’s release, confirmed by the player himself on Friday, March 28, continued a trend. One where the Patriots have overhauled their linebacker corps to get lighter, quicker and more active.
There was no room in the new way of doing things for 6-foot-2, 250-pound Bentley, and Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media believes Jahlani Tavai “could be next.”
Kyles correctly pointed out how Bentley appeared “an odd fit in Mike Vrabel’s defensive scheme.” The scheme is taking shape thanks to a few key personnel moves at linebacker.
Jahlani Tavai Doesn’t Fit Patriots New Direction
There’s a new direction defensively for the Patriots. Speed is the key, but it isn’t something core to the playing styles of Bentley and Tavai.
The latter has been in the lineup because he’s another big-bodied thumper against the run. Standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scales at 255 pounds makes Tavai bulky enough to take on guards in the pits and be a force playing downhill.
Those qualities were always welcomed in the traditional two-gap style of defense favored by longtime Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. His immediate successor Jerod Mayo maintained the same system last season, when Tavai helped himself to 109 tackles, including 54 solo stops.
Tavai also gave a perfect example of what playing inside linebacker for the Patriots has been all about for the last quarter of a century. It came in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, on this tackle highlighted by Nate Tice of Yahoo! Sports.
Stopping a beefy guard in his tracks and still making an arm tackle to fell a running back isn’t possible for a smaller linebacker. It’s why the changes Vrabel is making represent something of a risk for the Patriots.
Particularly in the AFC East.
Ja’Whaun Bentley Release Part of Patriots Risky Strategy
Dumping Bentley is the just the latest move in the transformation of New England’s linebacker corps. Other notable developments include Vrabel snagging a lighter favorite from his days with the Tennessee Titans in 2025 NFL free agency, as well as keeping a roving coverage linebacker out of the clutches of Tom Brady.
Those moves make sense on the surface, especially when you consider some of the main threats in the AFC East. Specifically, the Miami Dolphins and a hurry-up, track-paced offense led by wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, along with former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith.
Yet, two other divisional foes, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, could make the Pats regret swapping muscle for increased mobility.
The Bills are still led by NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen, but bruising running back James Cook has become a key cog. Meanwhile, the Jets have a two-pronged backfield defined by a thunder and lightning combination of Braelon Allen and Breece Hall.
Given the quality of rushing attacks in their own division, the Patriots would be wise to keep a natural run-plugger like Tavai around. Wiser still when releasing the 28-year-old before June 1 would cost “$6,431,250 in dead cap,” per Kyles, who also detailed how things become more cost-effective after that date.
Saving money isn’t a pressing need for a team as cap-rich as the Patriots, so keeping Tavai in the fold would make sense. Even if only as a situational player.
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