For all of the talk about the amount of holes the New England Patriots need to fill in free agency, people forget that the Patriots have some of their own players they need to retain.
New England will be loaded with cap room heading into the offseason, so it should be able to add new pieces while also retaining key guys.
Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus named one player each team cannot afford to lose on the open market, and for the Pats, he named linebacker Christian Elliss.
“Elliss was New England’s highest-graded linebacker in 2024, as the rest of the unit struggled to find its footing,” Wasserman wrote. “He is a versatile player who can provide value off the ball or when lined up on the edge. Much of the Patriots’ offseason focus will be on offense, but they still won’t want too many contributors departing from the defense in the process.”
Elliss certainly isn’t a star, but he managed to put together a solid campaign in 2024, registering 80 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and five passes defended.
The 26-year-old should be very affordable, so the Patriots shouldn’t have much of a problem keeping him if they really want him around.
New England signed Elliss off waivers in December 2023 after the Philadelphia Eagles cut ties with him. He barely saw the field for the Pats that year, but he definitely emerged as a key cog in 2024, especially after the loss of Ja’Whaun Bentley.
The University of Idaho product went undrafted but eventually made his way to the Eagles in 2021. He didn’t get much playing time in Philadelphia, so 2024 could definitely be viewed as a breakout year for Elliss.
We’ll see if the Patriots retain him.
