A few have hopped around the league as much as Christian Elliss. From the start of his NFL career as an UDFA, he has been moved around six times before finding roots with the Patriots. Even this year, as an unrestricted free agent, it looked like a 7th move was in the cards. This was even more concerning because Elliss was expecting his third child. So when a big number came from the Raiders, Elliss teared up.

As he later described it, “My first few years in the league, it’s been a rough transition. So, when I got the offer sheet from the Raiders, I was sitting down with my wife, and it’s a little personal, but I’m sitting there and I’m tearing up. Like, is this really happening? I’ve been cut six, seven times. I’ve been bouncing around the league. Did God really allow this to happen to me?”

But bigger things were clearly in the works for Christian Elliss. The Patriots had originally offered him a $3.26 million one-year deal after a career-best season. The Raiders had other plans. Viewing Elliss as the defensive future, they offered him a $13.5 million two-year deal. But Vrabel wasn’t going to let him go that easy. Upping the ante, the Patriots matched the offer, and now Eliss enters his 3rd season under Vrabel’s guidance. 

Christian Elliss ran a career-high 80 tackles in the ‘24 season, and with those numbers, he became the heart of the Patriots’ defence this offseason. He enters the 2025 season standing next to the same guy the Raiders wanted him to fill in for: Robert Spillane. And this vote of confidence from the Patriots has been nothing short of “humbling” for Elliss. As he notably said at the end of the minicamps, “Humbling, especially… My entire life, especially my football career, it’s been a fight to get where I’m at, and to get on the field.” Moving back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster, not to mention the multiple waivers and team changes, the sign of permanency comes as a huge relief to Elliss as he gears up for the new season. But his journey so far hasn’t been a sign of permanency. 

Starting from 2021 with a very short preseason stint with the Vikings, Elliss sought a place with the Eagles. But Philly saw the guy running with the practice squad for only a month and a half, during which he was released twice. November found him with the 49ers practice squad for a week. After that, November’s end got him back to the Philly practice squad. When 2022 rolled around, he finally got a debut on the gridiron. He stayed on the roster till August 2022, after which he was waived again and signed onto the practice squad. Philly’s Week-13 game got him back up on the active roster, but Shaquille Leonard joined the fray, and it was goodbye Eagles for Elliss. Finally, he found a place with the Patriots in December 2023. And now, he has to fight for the spot on the active roster again.

Christian Elliss gearing up for roster competition

Christian Elliss stays with the Patriots with a big contract. But if his career so far is any indication, things can change very quickly in the league. Two notable veterans will be gunning for the active roster spot alongside Elliss. Jahlani Tavai is competing with Elliss, along with the addition of Jack Gibbens. Contract-wise, Elliss edges out Gibbens, who joined with a $1.3 million, one-year deal. While Tavai comes close with a $15 million, three-year deal he signed back in 2024. But what about the numbers? Gibbens is coming off a 2024 season with 44 tackles through 10 games. Whereas Tavai has put up the much more impressive 115 tackles across all 17 games last season. But under Mike Vrabel’s “attacking defence system,” only the best will survive.

But Christian Elliss remains positive. He is standing firmly behind the hard work he has put in as he notably said, “I’m so happy with the progress I made. Our coaches are amazing. They’ve been helping us get everything detailed, lined up, and knowing exactly what you have to do.” For Elliss, as well as the coaches, “every day has gotten better.” Whether this translates to Elliss being the heart of the Patriots’ defense will only be determined when the final depth chart is decided.

For now, Christian Elliss can look forward to the training camps that will ensue from July 23. If Elliss can show peak performance at the training camps, his future may be set for the season. But the competition from Tavai and Gibbens will be fierce, as they’ve spent more time on the gridiron than he has. Once Vrabel makes the final roster decision, do you think Elliss will have made the cut?