Tag: Kaden Elliss

Bengals just hired away longtime Saints assistant coach in another lateral move

The Cincinnati Bengals announced they hired Michael Hodges away from the New Orleans Saints. The longtime linebackers coach made a lateral move:

Last one out, turn off the lights. The New Orleans Saints have lost a few coaches to lateral moves around the league as they continue to search for a new head coach, who will want to build their own staff — most notably losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to the Seattle Seahawks, where he’ll have the same position.

But here’s another departure. The Cincinnati Bengals announced Monday that they have hired longtime Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges for the same role on Zac Taylor’s staff. Hodges had been on staff with New Orleans since 2017, and he’s highly regarded around the league. It’s just a shame most of the linebackers he developed went on to play their best football somewhere else; guys like Alex Anzalone, Kaden Elliss, and of course Zack Baun.

Maybe the Bengals will do a better job retaining talent after Hodges has developed it. Whoever the Saints pick as head coach, he’ll now need to replace the offensive coordinator and the linebackers coach, but that was probably going to be the case anyway. These are just the first of many losses we should expect in the weeks ahead.

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Falcons LB Kaden Elliss is NFL’s hottest pass rusher

Falcons LB Kaden Elliss holds NFL’s longest active sack streak at 4 games

Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss has produced at an elite level for much of the season, but he doesn’t receive the same level of praise as players like Bijan Robinson and Drake London.

Despite flying a little bit under the radar, Elliss has been an essential part of not only the Falcons defense but the team’s overall success in 2024.

He entered the game as the only player in the NFL with over 100 tackles and four or more sacks, continuing to make a strong case for a Pro Bowl selection.

The veteran linebacker currently holds the longest active sack streak in the NFL (four consecutive games). There is now, at least as of this particular Sunday, only one other NFL player with 100 tackles and five sacks in the 2024 season (Lavonte David).

Elliss finished out Atlanta’s 34-7 win over the visiting New York Giants on Sunday with seven combined tackles (two solo), one sack and a forced fumble.

The Falcons pass rush has come alive in recent weeks. The team has 16 sacks over the last four games after only recording 10 in the first 11 games of the season.

Elliss and the Falcons will look to stay hot as they hit the road to face the Washington Commanders in the second-to-last game of the 2024 regular season.

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Jonah Elliss celebrated his brother making a play for the other team

Jonah Elliss celebrated Kaden Elliss making a tackle vs. the Broncos on Sunday, then he wrote his brother a funny message after the game.

You don’t see this often.

After tackling Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims on punt coverage duty, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Davis received some love from a player on the opposite team on Sunday afternoon.

Jonah Elliss, Kaden’s brother who plays for the Broncos, jumped up on Kaden and gave him a celebratory smack on the helmet after the tackle. KCNC-TV cameras captured the moment showing both brothers with big smiles:

“Lots of giggles, man,” Kaden said after the game when asked about playing against his brother. “Lots of laughs. It was a dream come true to see him on the field and get to go out and block him a little bit or at least try to.”

Kaden ended the day with nine tackles, tied for second-most in the game. Jonah joined in the fun with a sack in the third quarter:

After the game, the brothers exchanged signed jerseys:

Kaden wrote a wholesome note you’d expect from a role model big brother: “Jonah, Goof! I couldn’t be more proud. I love you! All 4 the King! Kaden Elliss #55 John 3:16.”

Jonah’s message reflected a taunting younger brother: “Jonah Ellis #52, 1-0.”

Football is family.

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Broncos and Falcons have brothers who will face off on Sunday

Brothers Kaden Elliss (Falcons) and Jonah Elliss (Broncos) are set to face off for the first time in the NFL on Sunday.

Five years ago, Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints used a seventh-round pick to select Idaho linebacker Kaden Elliss in the 2019 NFL draft.

Payton stepped down from his role with the Saints in 2022 and Elliss became a free agent following that season. Payton later joined the Denver Broncos and Ellis signed with the Atlanta Falcons.

This spring, Payton used a third-round pick to select Kaden’s younger brother, Utah pass rusher Jonah Elliss, in the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s quite a football family.

Luther Elliss started the family’s NFL journey by playing as a defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions (1995-2003) and Broncos (2004). Luther and his wife, Rebecca, now have three sons playing in the NFL: Kaden (Atlanta), Jonah (Denver) and Christian (New England Patriots). A fourth son, Noah, spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2022-2024.

“I know it’s a large family,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “Obviously, the father — I’ve done this long enough, I can recall coaching against their father. We drafted Kaden in New Orleans. [This year], we’re one team away from being on the clock and we’re going to take his brother, but man we’re hoping — I think Atlanta in fact was the pick ahead of us. I turned to George [Paton] and I said, [Terry] Fontenot — Terry is the general manager and was working with us then — ’Terry’s going to draft the brother, I know it.’ They drafted another player and then we were excited obviously to make our selection.

“Then I got a text right away from Kaden. I won’t tell you what it said, but I would say the exposure with Kaden really helped us understand the football mindset as it pertained to the next pick. Now when we drafted Kaden, he was playing a little bit more of an edge. He’s now playing inside, but he’s still a pressure player. If you said, ‘Which of the linebackers pressures the most or blitzes the most?’ He’s the one. That doesn’t mean the others don’t, but he’s a very good pash rusher. He’s really transitioned to a really good inside linebacker. [I’m] proud for him.”

This week, Jonah and Kaden will play against each other for the first time in the NFL. They both play on defense, but the brothers could face off on special teams. You can count on a post-game family photo after the final whistle blows on Sunday afternoon.

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Who is the most underappreciated player on the Falcons’ roster?

Who is the most underappreciated player on the Falcons’ roster heading into 2024?

The Atlanta Falcons have plenty of talent on their roster, but people tend to focus mostly on players like Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson. While the future is undoubtedly bright for this offensive trio, the team has other talented players who don’t get the credit they deserve.

CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr recently broke down each team’s most underappreciated player going into the 2024 NFL season. Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss was Kerr’s choice for Atlanta:

Perhaps Elliss was an excellent scheme fit for former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, but he played a massive role in the Falcons’ defensive turnaround last year. Elliss only rushed the passer 95 times last season and notched 26 pressures (pressure rate of 27.4%), while finishing with six quarterback hits and four sacks.

Elliss played a mix of off-ball linebacker and pass rusher, making hm valuable as a hybrid player in today’s NFL. He finished with 122 tackles (82 solo), helping the Falcons defense improve from 29th in points allowed per possession (2.27) and 31st in yards allowed per possession (36.2) to 15th (1.86) and seventh (28.0). — Jeff Kerr, CBS Sports

As Kerr highlighted, Elliss worked well with Ryan Nielson as defensive coordinator last season. Now that Nielsen is gone, Elliss must adapt to Jimmy Lake’s defensive scheme, which may be a bit of an adjustment.

The veteran linebacker is a good choice, but what other players are being overlooked on this Falcons roster?

One player who fans may be sleeping on is wide receiver Rondale Moore. The team acquired Moore in a rare player-for-player trade that sent quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals.

Moore never produced elite numbers with the Cardinals but with an established quarterback in Kirk Cousins, the 24-year-old has a chance to thrive in Atlanta.

Last season, Moore totaled 352 yards on 40 receptions, both of which were career lows despite playing in all 17 games. The Falcons’ offensive line is one of the best run-blocking units in the NFL, but pass protection remains a question mark.

With that in mind, we expect to see more quick passes in 2024. This bodes well for Moore, who plays primarily in the slot, as he could see an uptick in targets and production.

As defenses focus on Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson, Moore will have every chance to succeed this season. It’s up to the young receiver to take advantage of his opportunities.

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NFL awards the Saints three compensatory picks in the 2024 NFL draft

The projections got it right this year. The NFL awarded the Saints three compensatory picks in the 2024 NFL draft:

The projections got it right this year. The NFL awarded the New Orleans Saints three compensatory picks in the 2024 NFL draft, all slotted into the fifth round:

  • Round 5, Pick 167
  • Round 5, Pick 169
  • Round 5, Pick 174

These extra draft selections were awarded as compensation for players the Saints lost in free agency last offseason — defensive tackle David Onyemata, defensive end Marcus Davenport, and linebacker Kaden Elliss. There was a possibility the Saints could have had that draft choice for Onyemata slotted into the end of the fourth round instead of the beginning of the fifth frame’s comp picks, given some uncertainty in different models, but it was always likelier to fall in this place.

So what will the Saints do with these extra picks? Their history suggests these draft resources will be spent trading up to target players in the earlier rounds. New Orleans has been given six comp picks over the last three draft classes and general manager Mickey Loomis has traded all of them in moves up the board, which you can read more about here.

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Over The Cap finalizes comp pick projections, with good news for Saints

Over The Cap finalized their compensatory draft pick projections for 2024, with good news for the New Orleans Saints:

The analysts at Over The Cap finalized their compensatory pick projections for the 2024 NFL draft, with good news for the New Orleans Saints: right now, the Saints are predicted to receive three comp picks in this year’s event. But where will they fall?

OTC’s Nick Korte writes that one of them is basically a coin flip, with the Saints expected to receive a fourth- or fifth-round selection for losing David Onyemata to the Atlanta Falcons last season. Between the contracts and valuation of different qualifying players around the league, that pick should fall either at the end of the fourth round (around No. 134) or at the beginning of the fifth round’s comp picks (roughly No. 166). That’s a big swing, and the earlier that pick slots in, the better for New Orleans.

But that isn’t the only comp pick the Saints are expected to receive. OTC has them netting a pair of fifth-round picks as compensation for losing linebacker Kaden Elliss (to the Falcons) and defensive end Marcus Davenport (to the Minnesota Vikings) last offseason.

Assuming the Saints will get three comp picks in the fifth round (as is OTC’s official projection), here is where New Orleans expects to be picking:

  • Round 1, Pick 14
  • Round 2, Pick 45 (via Denver Broncos)
  • Round 5, Pick 148
  • Round 5, Pick 167 (compensatory)
  • Round 5, Pick 168 (compensatory)
  • Round 5, Pick 172 (compensatory)
  • Round 6, Pick 191
  • Round 6, Pick 200 (via Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Round 7, Pick 229 (via Denver Broncos)

We won’t find out for sure until comp picks are announced later this year, typically the week before free agency starts in March. Keep an eye out for confirmation and the official draft order.

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Falcons LB Kaden Elliss out for game, Calais Campbell returns

Falcons LB Kaden Elliss ruled out for game, DL Calais Campbell returns

The Atlanta Falcons have ruled linebacker Kaden Elliss out for the remainder of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints due to a knee injury. Elliss left the game in the second quarter and has been replaced in the lineup by Andre Smith Jr.

Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell got banged up early in the third quarter, but he has since returned to the game, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Atlanta trails 24-17 in the third quarter of Week 18.

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Falcons LB Kaden Elliss questionable to return vs. Saints

Falcons LB Kaden Elliss is questionable to return vs. Saints due to a knee injury

The Atlanta Falcons could be without Kaden Elliss for the remainder of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Elliss is officially questionable to return due to a knee injury, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Elliss has been replaced by linebacker Andre Smith in the starting lineup. We’ll let you know if Elliss returns to Sunday’s game. The Falcons currently hold a 14-7 lead over the Saints in the second quarter.

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WATCH: Falcons LB Kaden Elliss mic’d up for win over Colts

WATCH: Falcons LB Kaden Elliss was mic’d up for the team’s 29-10 win over the Colts

The future of Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has been a hot topic among the fans, but we don’t hear many people criticizing general manager Terry Fontenot. That’s because there hasn’t been much to criticize when it comes to Fontenot’s construction of the roster.

While signing safety Jessie Bates was a no-brainer, not everyone bought into signing linebacker Kaden Elliss and defensive lineman David Onyemata. However, all three players have been home runs for Atlanta’s defense thus far.

Elliss was considered the biggest question mark of the team’s free-agent class, but he has thrived in his expanded role this year. In Week 16, Elliss racked up 10 total tackles and his third sack of the season.

The 28-year-old was mic’d up for Sunday’s 29-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Watch the full segment below, as shared by the team’s Twitter account.