After losing Kaden Elliss in free agency, the Atlanta Falcons are holding open auditions to determine who will replace him as one of their starting linebacker. We know Divine Deablo will hold one of the starting LB spots, but we don't know who of the many options to replace Elliss will start next to him.
The Falcons signed two linebackers in free agency, drafted two linebackers in Kendal Daniels and Harold Perkins Jr. during the 2026 NFL Draft, and are on track to get Troy Andersen back in the near future. And everybody has a shot to assume the role that Elliss has played for the Atlanta defense.
But it now seems like we have our answer. Free agent acquisition Christian Harris is starting to look like the early favorite to start. During Wednesday's OTAs session open to the media, Falcons' team reporter Will McFadden noted Harris was seen primarily working with the first-team defense opposite Deablo, but the competition is far from over.
"The big question is who will start alongside him at the spot once occupied by Kaden Elliss," McFadden wrote. "On Wednesday, it was Christian Harris primarily working alongside Deablo. The versatility of whoever ends up in that spot will be tested."
Christian Harris looks like the early favorite to take Kaden Elliss' role on Atlanta's defense
The 25-year-old signed a one-year deal worth a max value of $3 million with the DIrty Birds earlier this offseason, and they signed him before Elliss signed with the New Orleans Saints. And it appears as though Atlanta has higher hopes for Harris than the other FA backer they signed in Channing Tindall.
The 2022 third-round pick of the Houston Texans showed promise as a rookie before breaking out with a 101-tackle season in 2023. Harris then proceeded to miss all but three games in 2024 due to injury, and by the time he returned to the field, he was back to being buried in the Texans' LB rotation.
The Texans had Azeez-Al Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o quickly steal his job, but Harris clearly still has some untapped potential. And if there's anyone who can get the most out of an athletic linebacker it's Jeff Ulbrich, who's bread and butter is turning around the careers of versatile defenders with upside.
McFadden noted that whoever gets the starting nod next to Deablo will have to help take on the Elliss role with their versatility. The 30-year-old excelled in coverage, as a tackler, and at rushing the passer, so if the Alabama product's strong summer continues, he'll have to get used to wearing a lot of hats.
We saw what Ulbrich did with Deablo, who was in a very similar situation in his career before signing with Atlanta last year. And he now wears the green dot. So I wouldn't be surprised if Harris starts (and shines), and this low-stakes deal to compensate for Elliss' departure turns into one of the best moves the Falcons made all offseason.
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