Coming Back Home, Saints LB Elliss is Ready for His Next Highlight

It's amazing how things just work out.

In 2019, Kaden Elliss was drafted in the 7th round by the New Orleans Saints. He was the 244th overall selection, the 10th-to-last choice in the entire class. In fact, Elliss was the 30th linebacker chosen that year. He signed a four-year deal with New Orleans for $2.59-million.

During training camp that year, he competed for a roster spot as a backup. Among those he was trying to surpass in that role were Vince Biegel, Darnell Sankey, Colton Jumper, Porter Gustin, and Josh Martin. Elliss worked his way through that gauntlet of names to become the primary back up to middle linebacker Alex Anzalone. A knee injury in September sidelined Elliss for the rest of the season.

For the next two seasons, the former Idaho Vandal was primarily used a backup, getting few tackles and one total sack, but in 2022, Elliss was moved to an outside slot, putting him in position to rush on passing situations more.

He blossomed. Elliss started 11-games that year, piled up 78-tackles, 43 of them solo, put up seven tackles for loss and had his best season behind the offensive line, scoring seven sacks.

Leaving NOLA for Hotlanta

That propelled him into free agency in 2023, signing a three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons for over $21-million.

Now, he's back home, signing back on with the team that started it all for him, putting his name on the dotted line in March of this year: a three-year, $33-million dollar deal.

Back to Where He Started

Elliss begins his second go-round in the Crescent City, this time with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who begins his second year as the DC and is known for his aggressive style of defense.

"It's such a cool blend of creativity and uniqueness that not a lot of teams do," Elliss said when talking about Staley's schemes, "but to no expense of just the screws being tight. Everybody knows what they're supposed to do. There's an expectation, and you're going to be held to that expectation, that standard. So it's such a cool blend when you're able to be creative, and I think a lot of the really good defenses right now are starting to move and evolve towards that."

The Edge is Where It's At

Elliss himself as evolved as a player. He is now considered more than just a linebacker. The 6' 2", 238-pound backer can come off the edge.

"There used to be some pretty stern rules for edge players," Elliss reminisced. "Once upon a time, you stay outside no matter what, you do this no matter what, you can tame that quarterback no matter what....When you're able to spin years back and just feel the game, just cut loose, it's not much better, so I think edge can get to that more than anybody and it's a fun spot to play."

As he comes back to where it all started, Elliss thought back to his beginnings at the Saints facility and how amazed he was at how much things had changed, but still stayed the same.

"It's so odd," Elliss said remembering. "There's so much similarity, so much carryover, so many similar bases. Pretty much the entire building is the same besides the whole new cafeteria, which I got pictures of in my old group chat. They were bragging about it when it got built.

"But, at the end of the day, I think Mickey (Loomis, Saints General Manager)'s done a really good job of carrying over the culture (that) was so special when I first got here and what was special about (my) four years here. You look at the huge success of 2019, 2020, and then the way we wanted to be really close here. And I think what made the culture so special, I think he's done a really good job of carrying over."

Likes What He's Seeing from the D

Even in the short time he has been back, Elliss is impressed by how the defense is working together.

"The thing that stands out for communication is the D-line's pretty dialed (in)," Ellis told us. "They don't need me to tell them too much. Out of habit, I still do," he said with a smile.

Training Camp Continues

Day three of training camp runs from 9:00-10:30 a.m. today, as the team now progresses from helmets, jerseys, and shorts to shells (partial padded practice sessions with helmets, shoulder pads, shorts, and practice jerseys with no thigh or knee pads). Saturday is an off day for the team.

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