'Another Coach on Field!' How Falcons LB Kaden Elliss Aids Troy Andersen's Growth
The Atlanta Falcons had the second-most cap space league-wide to spend in free agency this spring, and general manager Terry Fontenot was, naturally, intent on maximizing value.
Perhaps the easiest way to get a return on investment in free agency is to find players whose individual skill sets not only offers an upgrade at their position but also elevates those around them - and Fontenot added several players who fit that mold.
The players who instantly come to mind in this regard are defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive tackle David Onyemata and safety Jessie Bates III ... but how about linebacker Kaden Elliss?
Like Onyemata, Elliss signed a three-year deal with the Falcons this spring, coming over from the New Orleans Saints. There, he worked hands-on with new Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was the defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator in New Orleans.
And while Nielsen will add his own flavor to the defense, many of the same core principles remain, which significantly benefits Elliss ... and his linebacker counterparts, headlined by second-year pro Troy Andersen.
Drafted in the second round last April, Andersen started the final four games of his rookie season and illustrated plenty of promise, earning praise from Atlanta's coaching staff for his mental growth down the stretch.
The 24-year-old Andersen is now slated to take over as a full-time starter this fall, and while being given a new defense to learn isn't necessarily preferred, having Elliss alongside him has made the transition easier than it otherwise would have been, he believes.
"It's great, just to be able to ask him how he views things and how he sees things in the defense," Andersen said. "Try to pick up little nuances from him. It's been tremendous so far - he's another coach on the field, so it's good."
The idea of continuity with coaches and schemes in development is something Falcons coach Arthur Smith has stressed multiple times, often relating it to quarterback Desmond Ridder.
In Smith's eyes, continuity leads to not having to learn a new language or memorize plays - but of course, that's not a luxury Andersen has.
Instead, the former FCS Defensive Player of the Year has Elliss right next to him, helping bring stability and an extra set of eyes to the middle of Atlanta's defense as "another coach on the field."
The duo has been able to form a strong relationship early, with Andersen, a Montana State alum, noting that Elliss, who graduated from Idaho, is "another Big Sky guy" in reference to the FCS conference.
And in a sense, sharing similar collegiate backgrounds has helped Andersen find comfort in the unknown of Nielsen's defense - and he and Elliss are still only in the early stages of what appears to be a budding friendship.
"Kaden's awesome," Andersen said. "He's awesome to work with, super knowledgeable, has been in this scheme. Great personality around in the room to bounce things off of, and he's just a tremendous human being to be able to hang out with and learn from. Getting to know him has been fun."
Nielsen is expected to have quite a bit of fun in his own right using the athleticism that both Andersen and Elliss bring to the table. The "double mug" looks with linebackers filling both A-gaps were a commonality in the Saints' defense, and Atlanta's 'Big Sky Brothers' should thrive in the same disguise.
On one side, there's Andersen, the big-bodied converted running back and quarterback who ran a 4.42 40-yard dash, and on the other is Elliss, who noted in his introductory press conference than he can play defensive end, outside linebacker and inside linebacker and is fluent rushing the passer and dropping into coverage.
Not only does this give Nielsen a pair of talented playmakers who can be used all other the field, but it opens up the opportunity for him to get creative with his disguises ... and Andersen is focused on turning this idea into reality, starting with the installation of the defense this summer.
"We're just putting in the beginning of it, but we want to be versatile," said Andersen. "We have to know what each other is doing, so in that sense, I guess you can say 'interchangeable,' but everybody can play everything and we're just trying to learn right now."
And with the "tremendous," "super knowledgeable," and "another coach" that is Elliss, the learning curve for Andersen is significantly shorter than once expected - and the Falcons' defense will be better off because of it.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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