NFL Rumors: Christian Elliss, Patriots Agree to $13.5M Contract After Raiders' Offer

The New England Patriots signed restricted free-agent linebacker Christian Elliss to a two-year, $13.5 million contract on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler (h/t ESPN's Mike Reiss) previously reported Monday that New England had agreed to match the offer sheet Elliss signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Had the Patriots been able to retain Elliss on the restricted free-agent tender rather than having to match an offer sheet, he would have been under contract for $3.263 million next season, per Fowler.

New England was further incentivized to retain Elliss due to the fact that it would not have received any draft pick compensation from Las Vegas had the Raiders succeeded in signing him as an RFA.

Elliss, 26, comes from a football family, as his father, Luther Elliss, was a two-time Pro Bowler during his 10-year NFL career as a defensive lineman with the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos.

Also, Elliss' brother Kaden plays for the Atlanta Falcons, and his other brother Jonah plays for the Broncos.

Christian was not selected in the 2021 NFL draft after starring collegiately at Idaho, and after bouncing around between multiple teams, he landed with the Philadelphia Eagles and appeared in 19 games for the team from 2021 to 2023.

The Eagles waived Elliss in December 2023, and he was claimed by the Pats, who had him active for four games late in the 2023 campaign.

Elliss played sparingly over his first three NFL seasons, primarily on special teams, but he finally got his big break in New England last season.

He played in 16 games, starting five of them, and finished with career highs across the board, as he recorded 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Elliss figures to compete for a starting inside linebacker spot in training camp along with free-agent signing Robert Spillane and Patriots veteran Ja'Whaun Bentley, who missed all but two games last season due to a torn pectoral muscle.