On Tuesday, longtime NFL reporter Steve Wyche answered a simple question posted by B/R Gridiron: “Which current player doesn’t get enough credit?”
His answer was immediate… “Kaden Elliss.”
That response landed at an interesting time for the Atlanta Falcons, because Elliss is about to hit free agency. And inside the building, coaches are already warning what life without him would look like.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich didn’t sugarcoat it: “To replace Kaden would take more than one human being.”
The NFL is noticing what Atlanta already knows about Kaden Elliss
In 2025, Kaden Elliss was one of only two defenders in the NFC (along with Zack Baun) to record:
- 100+ tackles
- 10+ tackles for loss
- 3.5+ sacks
- And an interception
He also finished second among linebackers with 30 pressures.
That’s the key to why his value is so difficult to quantify. Elliss isn’t just a tackler or a blitzer or just a coverage linebacker. He’s all three depending on the snap.
"He gave us this really unique flexibility," Ulbrich explained. "I mean, to think a guy could play world-class line of scrimmage play, but at the same time, you could stack him behind the ball, and he could play world-class stack linebacker play."
Even further, Elliss doesn’t simply play linebacker inside Atlanta’s defensive structure, he runs the defense.
"I've never had a line of scrimmage player run a defense, and in a lot of our defenses, he was a line of scrimmage player," Ulbrich said. "It's a testament to not only his intelligence, but it's probably a bigger testament to his process and how hard he worked at it. Elite communicator and mental processor. We put a lot on his plate, and he thrived."
Replacing production is one thing. Replacing function is another. Atlanta already saw a preview of that problem when injuries forced linebackers into unfamiliar roles. The defense didn’t collapse, sure, but missed fits increased, coverage communication slowed, and pressure timing changed.
Coaches also emphasized something fans rarely see… Cultural influence.
"He is one of the most amazing human beings I've been around from a character standpoint," Ulbrich said. "His influence on this group, not just from a football process standpoint, but to the way they parent their kids, the way they care for themselves as a man, all that in between, he's amazing."
With him entering free agency, Atlanta must choose between:
- Option A: Pay a premium to keep continuity
- Or option B: Rebuild the structure around multiple replacements
But if Steve Wyche’s post made one thing clear, it’s this: The Atlanta Falcons should absolutely bring Kaden Elliss back.