Losing a player of Robert Spillane‘s caliber is never easy; especially at a position as important as off-ball linebacker. However, adding talented, productive players to patch the hole left by losing such a player typically helps soften the blow. Even more so when one such player costs a mere $3 million over one season. That’s what the Raiders at least attempted to do with the addition of Elandon Roberts last week.
Now, Las Vegas has a chance to add another productive player in the National Football League at the same position as Robert Spillane–one who comes from the very same team Spillane signed with this past week, even.
Linebacker Christian Elliss, who had a fantastic ’24 campaign in New England, visited the Raiders on Monday.
Elliss is a do-it-all linebacker who shined with the Patriots this past season. Both his grade in coverage (66.1) and grade against the run (70.1) via Pro Football Focus ranked first among all linebackers to play in New England last year, as did his 73.9 mark as a pass-rusher.
By all accounts, the 26-year-old was the most productive player at his position for the Patriots in 2024.
Elliss’ 6.2% run-stop percentage stood the highest among all New England linebackers. His four forced incompletions were the most at his position, too. Overall, this gave the four-year vet a forced incompletion percentage of 22%, which ranked second-highest among all defenders on the entirety of the Patriots’ roster.
With a win-rate of 13.6% against opposing blockers, Elliss’ win-rate ranked second-highest among all defenders on his team last season as well. Add in 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, and you get quite the season from the younger brother of Kaden Elliss who also plays football on the east coast.
Whatever the Raiders offer Christian Elliss, New England has the ability to match
This is where it gets tricky for Las Vegas. Since the Patriots elected to tender Elliss heading into free agency, they have the right to match any offer Sin City makes to their restricted free agent linebacker.
And while that is indeed a worrisome factor, the good news is New England is the place Robert Spillane landed, becoming the 11th-highest paid off-ball linebacker across the NFL.
So while the Patriots would undoubtedly like to have Elliss back, Spillane gives their club stability at linebacker regardless of what happens with Elliss. And that’s certainly a positive for the Raiders, who know New England isn’t desperate to match an offer as they now have Spillane.
But again–that doesn’t mean the Patriots don’t want Elliss back. Just, they aren’t desperate anymore.
As far as what’ll happen with Elliss and the Raiders, an answer should be presented in the upcoming days. Perhaps the two clubs that competed in the tuck rule game will swap linebackers heading into the 2025 season.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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