NFL teams giving a restricted free agent from another team an offer sheet is rare. So on Wednesday, when NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the Las Vegas Raiders signed New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss to an offer sheet, it was notable.
The Raiders hosted Elliss for a visit on Monday, March 17, so they apparently liked what they learned enough to give him an offer sheet. Even with the addition of Elandon Roberts, the losses of Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo create a need at linebacker.
Elliss, one of former NFL defensive lineman Luther Elliss' sons, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021 by the Minnesota Vikings. After being among Minnesota's final cuts that year, he landed with the Philadelphia Eagles and was with them until he was waived in December of 2023.
The Patriots claimed Elliss, and he played in 16 games (five starts) for them last season. With a primary defensive role for the first time in his career (513 snaps), he had 80 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, five pass breakups and an interception with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He was Pro Football Focus' 20th-best off-ball linebacker by overall grade, with top-20 coverage and pass rush marks at the position.
Raiders holding nothing back in effort to get Christian Elliss
Since Elliss was undrafted and they gave him a right of first refusal tender, the Patriots will get no draft pick compensation if they don't match the Raiders' offer sheet by Monday's deadline. The right of first refusal RFA tender is worth $3.263 million.
According to NFL Insider Aaron Wilson, the Raiders have a pending cap charge that reveals what the value of the their offer sheet to Elliss is.
#Raiders salary cap currently carries a pending $4.842 million charge for Christian Elliss, per a league source. Signed offer sheet with Las Vegas, and now have until Monday afternoon to match for restricted free agent tendered for $3.263 million @KPRC2."
In the plainest terms, the Raiders' offer sheet to Elliss is 48 percent above the value of the Patriots' tender. Via Over The Cap, a second-round RFA tender for Elliss would have been worth $5.346 million. It also would have entitled New England to draft pick compensation if they didn't match an offer sheet Elliss received.
The Patriots still have the most cap space in the league, so matching Elliss' offer sheet is not an issue for them on that front. It will come down to how they value him and project his role, in light of additions to their linebacking corps, and if they think $4.8 million for one year is too much.
But one thing is absolutely clear. The Raiders want Elliss pretty badly, and they showed it by giving him an offer sheet the Patriots might hesitate to match.