Jahlani Tavai: I Want to Be a Starter
Linebacker Jahlani Tavai is battling daily to earn a spot on the 2021 Detroit Lions roster.
Drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Tavai has struggled to consistently stay out on the field, even though he was a scheme-specific selection of the former regime.
Despite his struggles his first two seasons in the NFL, the new Lions coaching staff has gone out of its way to praise the third-year linebacker.
“He’s a smart guy. He works at it. He puts everything out that he has into it. I think there are certain things he does well. He’s really a hammer," Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters, prior to practice on Monday. "Particularly, he’s probably a first-, second-down inside linebacker. So, there are things he can do, and I think it’s up to us to put him in the best situation to have success, too. So, it’s two-fold. He does everything you ask him to do, and he gives it everything that he has got.”
With roster cuts looming, the 24-year-old does not assume his draft position guarantees him a spot on this roster. Veterans Jamie Collins and Alex Anzalone figure to be ahead of him on the depth chart, as they have taken the majority of first-team reps on defense during the early portion of camp.
"I never take that approach, where things are secure," Tavai said. "Nothing is guaranteed in life. Every day, I got to approach it like it's my last day of ever playing football again."
When asked if he felt he has done enough to put himself in a good position to make the 53-man roster, Tavai indicated he still has the strong competitive drive to earn his spot.
"All we have to do as players is to make plays," he said. "Put that on my resume to show these coaches that we can play ball. That's all we got to do. I am going to do whatever I have to to make sure that I keep doing it. My goal is to be on defense. I want to be a starter, that is the biggest thing."
During this year's training camp, Tavai has seen increased reps on special teams -- tasks that he is more than willing to take on in order to improve his odds of making the team.
"That's fine. That's my first time running down on kickoff again since college," he commented. "It was exciting to just go around and bang around. If you got an opportunity with a one-on-one, I got to make sure I win that one-on-one."
© Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC
© Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Busted coverage on Buffalo Bills' second-quarter touchdown
On the Bills' first touchdown late in the second quarter, running back Devin Singletary was able to find his way out of the backfield untouched to secure a six-yard touchdown reception.
A quick review of the play seemed to indicate that Tavai missed his assignment; thus, allowing the Bills running back to simply walk into the end zone.
“It was a busted coverage is what happened there," Campbell explained. "That was a player that knows better. He’s normally on it, and he missed it. AG (Aaron Glenn) talks about that all of the time, we all do, it’s like, ‘Man, you had one breakdown, and those things happen.’ If you’re going to give up a big play -- not a big play, but if you’re going to give up a touchdown, make them earn it, make the opponent have to earn it all the way down. You don’t want something off of an MA, missed assignment to where they benefit from it. Make them go the long, hard way.”
Linebackers coach Mark DeLeone brought up the play on his own when he spoke to reporters after practice on Monday.
"There was a play in the game that's been talked about. I got to do a better job of putting him in a better position there on that play," he said. "So, that's probably as much on me as it is on him. I think Jahlani is in a good place. He's got to keep stacking days. I'm excited to watch him play on Saturday night.”
