Christian Elliss cashed in on restricted free agency.
The 26-year-old was originally tendered by the Patriots at the right of first refusal, which would have paid him for $3.26 million on a one-year deal. That gave other teams the option to sign Elliss to an offer sheet with a contract of their choosing, but left the Patriots a chance to match it.
That’s exactly what transpired.
The Raiders were interested and submitted a two-year, $13.5 million offer sheet for Elliss, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. New England didn’t want to lose the linebacker, so they matched it. Now Elliss will play the next two seasons in Foxborough on the $13.5 million deal instead of the original one-year pact for $3.26 million.
Elliss appeared in 16 games for the Patriots last season, beginning the year as a core special teamer and playing his way into a significant role on defense. He finished the season with a career high 80 tackles, and though there’s a new coaching staff in town, clearly Mike Vrabel sees Elliss as a valuable piece of the future. He’s got a new $10 million raise to prove it.
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