The writing was on the wall, and on Saturday it was made official: Jahlani Tavai has been activated from injured reserve to the New England Patriots’ 53-man roster.

The linebacker was forced to start the regular season on IR after sustaining a calf injury during organized team activities in early June. This meant that he had to sit out at least four games before being eligible to return, and the team wasted no time: he returned to practice on Wednesday and was immediately listed as a full participant.

Three days later, his stint on the reserve list has officially come to an end. Here is what this means for the Patriots.

Improved linebacker depth

Before he went down with his calf injury during OTAs, Tavai saw regular practice opportunities with the starting defense. Serving as the top o

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