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Patriots Wreck Tom Bradyâs Plans With Free Agency Deal
The New England Patriots werenât about to let Tom Brady rebuild the Las Vegas Raidersâ defense at their expense.
Thatâs why the Pats stepped in to wreck Raiders part owner Bradyâs plans by matching an offer for linebacker Christian Elliss in 2025 NFL free agency. Heâs staying put after the Patriots âofficially matchedâ the offer sheet the Raiders had put in front of Elliss, according to NFL Networkâs Tom Pelissero.
Christian Ellisâ Return Latest Move for Changing Defense
Vrabel and Williams want leaner, quicker players at linebacker. Elliss qualifies at 6-foot-2 and 231 pounds.
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Heâs somebody who can turn and run with players in space, making Ellis an asset in coverage. The 26-year-oldâs expertise in this area was highlighted by several plays shown here by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS Media.
Being able to split inside linebackers out wide over eligible pass-catchers wasnât always an option. Not when Vrabelâs predecessors Jerod Mayo and Bill Belichick usually favored big-bodied thumpers able to play downhill and take on guards in the pits.
Things are changing now Vrabel has the reins. Heâs already added a pair of lighter, more laterally active linebackers in free agency.
One player who doesnât quite fit the mold is classic Belichick middle âbacker, 6-foot-2, 250-pounder JaâWhaun Bentley. Kyles pointed out âBentley is slimming down to stick around, Spillane, Gibbens, and Rice know Vrabelâs defense, and Elliss continues his development in a system that better suits him.â
Bentley may not be able to find a place on a changing depth chart, but perhaps he could find a home in Vegas, where Brady knows all about how the Patriots used to do things.
Patriots Stopped Tom Brady Raid, But Will There Be More?
Bradyâs presence as one of the major decision-makers for the Raiders means Patriots personnel will likely remain on the radar for the Silver and Black. Even if not everybody has been convinced by his performance so far as part of ownership.
Sure, Brady hasnât been a member of the Patriots since 2019, but he has intimate knowledge of how the team was built, both in terms of scheme and personnel by Belichick and, by extension of sorts, Mayo last season.
