Finally, Some Positive News On Jahlani Tavai

[Just Want A Title]

I saw this article today and it seems to highlight some of the poor decision-making by the previous coaching staff.  According to the article Jahlani Tavai played LB at weights as high as 268 lbs.  Apparently, he is at 247 lbs with a goal of getting under 245.  It would be a huge win for him and the Lions to get his career turned around.

https://www.mlive.com/lions/2021/05/lions-lb-jahlani-tavai-topped-out-at-268-pounds-last-year-now-hes-cutting-weight-and-turning-heads.html

[Sllim Pickens]

This would be a plus if we can get anything productive out of him.  He seems better suited to be a stack LB.  It also should help having some big bodied DTs in front of him that require blockers.  LB is still a big hole on this team but filling it with internal development, at least temporarily would be fantastic. But I won't hold my breath, losing weight doesnt usually improve instincts. 

[SimbaWho]

Idk, hope for the best but I've written this guys off as a Jordan Dizon pick 2.0 since he was drafted.

Smartest guy in the room pick and those USUALLY backfire real bad.

I think he could easily be gone too if someone is brought in. He's hanging by a thread, imo. Lots of Summer,etc, he's a very good bet to not make the roster week 1.

 

Edited May 28, 2021 by SimbaWho

[Louis Friend]

23 hours ago, SimbaWho said:

Idk, hope for the best but I've written this guys off as a Jordan Dizon pick 2.0 since he was drafted.

Smartest guy in the room pick and those USUALLY backfire real bad.

I think he could easily be gone too if someone is brought in. He's hanging by a thread, imo. Lots of Summer,etc, he's a very good bet to not make the roster week 1.

 

He literally was drafted by Quinn simply because he knew The Patriots wanted him. Horrible. 

[Just Want A Title]

6 hours ago, Louis Friend said:

He literally was drafted by Quinn simply because he knew The Patriots wanted him. Horrible. 

To Tavai's credit, he put up some decent numbers in college.  I just think the previous staff had no idea how to develop players.  They only wanted to teach the system and force players to fit that system instead of adjusting to the talent they have and actually coaching players up.

Edited May 29, 2021 by Just Want A Title

[Lions017]

It makes sense to give him a chance to adjust to the new scheme in camp and in the preseason, but I have no hope for this guy. He looked like an absolute bum last year. There were games where it was obvious that teams were going to pick on him and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. The dude just looked lost. 

It was a bad pick from the start. Patricia and Quinn picked him because they have such specific requirements for that scheme, but it just hasn't worked out and the dude is far from an elite athlete. 

[Sllim Pickens]

2 hours ago, Lions017 said:

It makes sense to give him a chance to adjust to the new scheme in camp and in the preseason, but I have no hope for this guy. He looked like an absolute bum last year. There were games where it was obvious that teams were going to pick on him and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. The dude just looked lost. 

It was a bad pick from the start. Patricia and Quinn picked him because they have such specific requirements for that scheme, but it just hasn't worked out and the dude is far from an elite athlete. 

Thats pretty much my take.  If he can slim down and play better, than great but I sure won't be holding my breath.  I will say the change in scheme and his responsibility might help.  Also having some real D lineman in front of him can help.  I am hoping that will help all of the LBs as none were particularly good in Patricia's system (in fact nobody was really any good in that system).