Of the New England Patriots’ 22 free agents this offseason, five carried the exclusive rights label as players with two or fewer accrued seasons on their respective résumés. As a consequence, the team was in a position to retain them on a one-year tender at the minimum salary appropriate to their level of experience.
The Patriots decided to play that card four times, with the latest of those moves — re-signing special teamer/linebacker Christian Elliss — being announced on Tuesday. Here is what that, and the others, mean for the Patriots.
ST/LB Christian Elliss: Re-signed
The Patriots retain a promising special teams presence: Elliss was a popular player when he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles last December, with six teams including the Patriots putting in waiver claims to bring him aboard.