The New England Patriots weren’t about to let Tom Brady rebuild the Las Vegas Raiders’ defense at their expense.
That’s why the Pats stepped in to wreck Raiders part owner Brady’s plans by matching an offer for linebacker Christian Elliss in 2025 NFL free agency. He’s staying put after the Patriots “officially matched” the offer sheet the Raiders had put in front of Elliss, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
This is a key move for the Patriots, and not just because they beat their former six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brady to the punch. Elliss’ return is also welcome for a linebacker corps undergoing a change in physical profile to better fit a shift in schemes on the watch of new head coach Mike Vrabel and his defensive coordinator Terrell Williams.
Christian Ellis’ Return Latest Move for Changing Defense
Vrabel and Williams want leaner, quicker players at linebacker. Elliss qualifies at 6-foot-2 and 231 pounds.
He’s somebody who can turn and run with players in space, making Ellis an asset in coverage. The 26-year-old’s expertise in this area was highlighted by several plays shown here by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media.
Being able to split inside linebackers out wide over eligible pass-catchers wasn’t always an option. Not when Vrabel’s predecessors Jerod Mayo and Bill Belichick usually favored big-bodied thumpers able to play downhill and take on guards in the pits.
Things are changing now Vrabel has the reins. He’s already added a pair of lighter, more laterally active linebackers in free agency.
One player who doesn’t quite fit the mold is classic Belichick middle ‘backer, 6-foot-2, 250-pounder Ja’Whaun Bentley. Kyles pointed out “Bentley is slimming down to stick around, Spillane, Gibbens, and Rice know Vrabel’s defense, and Elliss continues his development in a system that better suits him.”
Bentley may not be able to find a place on a changing depth chart, but perhaps he could find a home in Vegas, where Brady knows all about how the Patriots used to do things.
Patriots Stopped Tom Brady Raid, But Will There Be More?
Brady’s presence as one of the major decision-makers for the Raiders means Patriots personnel will likely remain on the radar for the Silver and Black. Even if not everybody has been convinced by his performance so far as part of ownership.
Sure, Brady hasn’t been a member of the Patriots since 2019, but he has intimate knowledge of how the team was built, both in terms of scheme and personnel by Belichick and, by extension of sorts, Mayo last season.
Perhaps linebackers like Bentley and beefy 255-pounder Jahlani Tavai won’t perfectly fit what new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll likes at the position. Yet, another Patriots defender, hybrid safety Marte Mapu, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft who hasn’t made the grade, could garner interest.
That’s pure speculation, but former Patriots like run-stuffing linebacker Elandon Roberts has already joined the Raiders. Meanwhile, ex-Pats defensive tackle Adam Butler has been brought back on a three-year extension including $11 million in guaranteed cash, per ESPN’s Ryan McFadden.
Maybe Brady turns his attention to current Patriots after being rebuffed in his attempts to land Elliss.
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