BREAKING: Raiders Signing Patriots Restricted FA LB

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to bolster their linebacker corps after the departure of Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo.

They are looking east, as they have signed New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss to an offer sheet, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. As a restricted free agent, Elliss will be signed with the Raiders if New England can't match the offer by Monday, per Pelissero.

Per the NFL, a resticted free agent is "A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. RFAs are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them one of various qualifying offers ("tenders") that come with the Right of First Refusal and/or draft-pick compensation. If the tender is withdrawn by a team, the RFA becomes an unrestricted free agent. Teams must submit these tenders before the start of the 2025 League Year (4 p.m. ET on March 12)."

The Patriots planned to tender Elliss at the right-of-first-refusal amount of $3.326 million, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Per the NFL, right-of-first-refusal is "One-year contract worth $3.263 million. Team has the right to match any offer sheet signed with another team, but there is no draft compensation tied to this tender."

Elliss had 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five defended passes in 2024. He played in 16 games and started in five. Through his four-year NFL career, Elliss has primarily been a special teams player and contributor in situational football, a down-backer.

At just 26 years old, the Idaho product has plenty to offer. The Raiders would be swapping linebackers with the Patriots, if they are able to land him; stalwart defensive leader Spillane left for the Patriots and Mike Vrabel an hour into the start of the legal-tampering period.

The Raiders lost another starter in Deablo. They brought in a veteran linebacker in former Pittsburgh Steelers star Elandon Roberts. Roberts is a physical player with a special teams background, and it shows that the Raiders are targeting gritty defenders who are willing to do everything asked of them in Patrick Graham's defense.

The Raiders will likely look into the linebacker position in the upcoming draft as well.

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