If his comments about Kaden Elliss were any indication, Ian Cunningham and the Atlanta Falcons are looking hard at the linebacker market this offseason. But by the looks it, if they let him walk, they already have someone in mind to replace him, and it's a player with previous ties to Cunningham.
Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was once believed to be a cap casualty this offseason, but per Bears' beat reporter Brad Biggs, his offseason just came with a curveball. The Bears granted Edmunds permission to seek a trade, so a reunion with Cunningham in Atlanta could be in the cards.
If a trade isn't agreed to, odds are that Chicago would exercise the out in his deal and the 27-year-old would hit the open market, where he would be one of the best linebackers available and have several suitors. So if Elliss isn't back in Atlanta in 2026, it seems like they already have a replacement waiting in the wings. All Cunningham has to do is call up his old boss Ryan Poles and make a deal happen.
Ian Cunningham could make his first bold move as Falcons' GM by replacing Kaden Elliss with Tremaine Edmunds
In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about Cunningham wanting to sub out Elliss for Edmunds. The two-time Pro Bowler has surpassed 100 total tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons and is very athletic, but is slow at getting to the football, so isn't worth the extra money it would take to add him.
The 2018 first-round pick from Virginia Tech would make for a scary duo with Divine Deablo for Jeff Ulbrich's defense, but the Falcons would sorely miss Elliss if they chose Edmunds over him. He does all of the little things you can ask for from your green dot and was a captain for the first time in 2025.
Elliss was the heart and soul of this Atlanta defense and while Edmunds is also a good player, he does not get enough recognition for his impact. He led the team in both tackles and tackles for loss in 2025, is great in coverage and getting to the QB, so he's the perfect jack-of-all-trades defender.
With that said, the Idaho product has a lot more to offer the Falcons (or another team), but there's one key difference that Cunningham has to consider: Edmunds is three years younger. While Elliss is entering his age-31 season, Edmunds will turn 28 in May, which is a major difference at linebacker unless you're Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David.
Cunningham overlapped with Edmunds for four seasons in the Windy City and I would venture to say he's still close with Poles after working together for four years, so the Falcons could be legit players for one of the best defenders available this offseason as long as he picks up the phone.