Old friends will cross paths when the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars do so at EverBank Stadium. And not just offensive line coach Doug Marrone.
Between the active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists, four players in the fold for Sunday have been members of both locker rooms during their NFL careers.
Here’s a glance through the list of former Patriots and former Jaguars leading up to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
JACKSONVILLE
Jakobi Meyers, wide receiver — Entering the NFL as an undrafted rookie out
of North Carolina State in 2019, Meyers tallied 235 receptions for 2,758 yards and eight touchdowns across 60 games and 39 starts with the Patriots. The ex-quarterback threw a pair of touchdowns, received the club’s Ed Block Courage Award, and led the offense in receiving yards in back-to-back-to-back seasons. He departed for the Las Vegas Raiders as an unrestricted free agent 2023 and was sent to the AFC South at the trade deadline last November in exchange for the No. 117 and No. 182 overall picks in the 2026 draft class. A three-year, $60 million extension followed for the eventual Jaguars team captain. Since leaving Foxborough, Meyers has caught 236 passes for 2,737 yards and 16 touchdowns across 49 games and 46 starts. The 29-year-old wideout has had a hand in additional three scores as a rusher and passer.
Jahlani Tavai, linebacker — After five seasons, the Patriots released Tavai ahead of the new league year. The 29-year-old linebacker had been under contract through 2027 after signing an extension that carried a $16 million base value. First landing in Foxborough as a member of the practice squad in 2021 after being waived by the Detroit Lions, Tavai went on to appear in 76 games, starting 51. The University of Hawaii product logged 350 tackles and 3.5 sacks while intercepting three passes and forcing three fumbles. He saw 2,606 snaps on defense and 1,293 snaps on special teams and was named New England’s recipient Ed Block Courage Award on the way to Super Bowl LX. The No. 43 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft agreed to terms with the Jaguars amid training camp in August and stands four tackles into his stay on the active roster.
NEW ENGLAND
Chandler Brayboy, wide receiver — The Patriots added Brayboy to the practice squad following a workout midway through September. The 25-year-old wide receiver made his first NFL stop in Jacksonville. Signed by the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2025, Brayboy spent the duration of his rookie year on the practice squad. After being retained on a futures contract in January, he was waived at the cutdown deadline in August. A former FCS All-American, CAA Special Teams Player of the Year and Elon team captain, Brayboy’s collegiate career spanned 2,660 receiving yards, 245 rushing yards, 1,568 kickoff return yards and 22 all-purpose touchdowns over the course of 55 games dating back to 2019.
Greg Van Roten, guard — The Patriots hosted Van Roten on a visit during the first week of August. And after attrition hit New England’s offensive line in the preseason opener, the 36-year-old free agent circled back on a one-year deal to shore up the interior depth. He took over at right guard last week after tenured starter Mike Onwenu was carted off due to a broken ankle. A veteran of 146 games, including 105 starts, Van Roten began his career as an undrafted rookie in 2012. The former All-Ivy League offensive tackle out of Penn has since made stops with nine different NFL clubs. Count the Jaguars among the previous. Van Roten joined Jacksonville during the 2017 offseason on the heels of a CFL run with the Toronto Argonauts, yet was cut amid organized team activities that spring before playing a down. His career now stretches 6,938 offensive downs. Ironman campaigns arrived in 2024 and 2025.
