New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss has been underrated his entire career, but is starting to get his flowers. In a recent ESPN article by Jeremy Fowler, Elliss received votes in a ranking of the top-10 off-ball linebackers by various NFL executives and coaches. Although he didn’t place, this shows progress and is an excellent sign for his future.
“Here's how it works: Voters gave their own top 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on the number of top-10 votes, composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen as well as ESPN Research,” Fowler wrote. “More than 70 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions.”
The seven-year veteran spent his four seasons with the Saints before signing a three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Now, he returns to the Big Easy and is set to play a crucial role in Brandon Staley’s defense. So far in his career, he’s achieved an impressive 20.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss. As a result, he was under consideration for the aforementioned honor.
Kaden Elliss must step up in order for the Saints’ defense to thrive.
Elliss’s versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple aspects make him an X-factor on defense. As an off-ball linebacker, he’s asked to do a lot, including blitzing the quarterback, dropping back into coverage, and triggering downhill against the run. Luckily for the Saints, he thrives in these areas.
In his first stint in New Orleans, Elliss was primarily known as a blitzer. However, he’s grown his skillset in Atlanta and has ample experience in other aspects. Although Demario Davis was a middle linebacker, Elliss will still be asked to fill parts of his role, particularly as a run defender. So, his performance will be vital in the Saints not taking a step back. He won’t be talked about, but he is arguably the most important player on their defense.
Kaden Elliss receiving votes in a top-10 off-ball linebacker rankings shows his improvement and bodes well for the future of the Saints defense. He will have a critical role in Brandon Staley’s defense and could be the difference between winning and losing.
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