The Atlanta Falcons are still reeling from the effects of losing Kaden Elliss in free agency. But the worst part wasn't losing him, it was who they lost him to. The veteran linebacker signed a three-year deal worth $33 million to return to the New Orleans Saints, which made the loss sting even further.
The Saints lost 37-year-old Demario Davis in free agency and replaced him with a man they were plenty familiar with. Elliss spent the first four years of his career in New Orleans before joining Atlanta when they hired Ryan Nielsen to be their defensive coordinator, but the Nielsen era was short-lived.
We all know by now that linebackers like Kaden Elliss are a rare breed nowadays. Yes, he's undersized, but he's instinctual, smart, and plenty capable as a pass-rusher, a tackler, and in coverage. And he's set to be the leader of a defense that will face the Falcons twice a year, which will not be fun.
The Saints are ready to twist the knife on the Falcons with Kaden Elliss
The Dirty Birds lost plenty of 2025 starting defenders this offseason, but none more important than the man who wore the green dot for them last year. The 30-year-old led the team in tackles and finished second in tackles for loss, so replicating that sort of impact isn't something that'll be easy.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has enforced the belief that it'll take a village to help replace Elliss after his treachery, and it's not like the Falcons have many linebackers like him. Ulbrich prefers more athletic LBs like Deablo or Kendal Daniels, but Elliss' elite football IQ cannot be taught.
It;s not like there will be much of a learning curve for him with the Saints either. He's already spent time with them, so he knows exactly what type of defense Brandon Staley wants to run. And New Orleans is getting a bunch of media hype as a possible dark horse to win the NFC South in 2026.
In three seasons with the Falcons, the Idaho product didn't miss a single game. He was one of most respected leaders on the defense and was a first-time captain last season. Those are some massive shoes for Deablo to fill, especially with Christian Harris likely to step in as the second starting LB.
And while Deablo could very well continue taking strides towards a full breakout, watching him and Elliss together gave Atlanta one of the best linebacker tandems in the NFL. And just like with Nate Landman last year, watching Kaden Elliss on the Saints will make the Falcons regret not trying harder to retain him.
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