Atlanta Falcons fans are reeling following the loss of Kaden Elliss in free agemcy. Not only did Ian Cunningham presumably not make much of an effort to keep Elliss in Atlanta, he also had to sit and watch as the most important player on his defense turncoated back over to the New Orleans Saints.
The Falcons never had a shot to keep him since they didn't want to pay the price so it's time to start looking for replacements. They already signed former Texans' linebacker Christian Harris, but they shouldn't be done yet as New York Giants' linebacker Bobby Okereke is another intriguing alternative.
Okereke is a similar player to someone Cunningham helped draft in Chicago: Tremaine Edmunds. But he signed with the Giants to replace Okereke so he's not available, but they can easily capitalize on that decision. replacing him with a younger, more athletic alternative in a very beneficial trade-off.
Since the Falcons can't sign Tremaine Edmunds to replace Kaden Elliss, Bobby Okereke is the next best option
Losing Elliss is a devastating blow to an Atlanta defense that took significant strides in 2025, but as far as replacements go, Okereke is as good as it gets. The 30-year-old is better at getting to the QB, but the athleticism and coverage abilities of the Stanford product make him a worthy successor.
If you saw what Jeff Ulbrich was able to accomplish with Divine Deablo, there's no telling what he'll be able to accomplish with an arguably more athletic LB in Okereke. This is the same guy who has logged over 100 tackles in four of his last five seasons and was the heart of the Giants' defense.
The 2019 third-round pick was only released by Big Blue for financial reasons, but his release helped Joe Schoen reunite with Edmunds. He was in line to be a free agent next offseason, but instead of paying him $9 million in 2026, Schoen instead wanted to reunite with his former first-round draft pick.
However, don't let his release fool you. Beyond being a backup plan, it makes sense. The primary difference between Okereke and Elliss will be in price tag, as the former will likely be more expensive, but he's also younger, and youth and versatility are the main pillars of Ulbrich's defensive system.
For as versatile as Elliss is, Okereke is a different kind of jack-of-all-trades. He does everything the modern NFL typically requires of a new-era linebacker. Honestly, the biggest worry about losing Elliss would be the locker room impact since he was a captain, but so was the 29-year-old in NY.
It may sound wacky, but if he was a cap casualty before, maybe he values a chance to compete for a playoff spot in Atlanta. With how passive Cunningham has been, you never know, but it's worth a shot.