The New Orleans Saints brought back a familiar face this offseason, helping fill a major hole in the team's depth chart in the process.
Getty
The New Orleans Saints brought back a familiar face this offseason, helping fill a major hole in the team's depth chart in the process.
The New Orleans Saints continue to be active on the free-agent market. On Tuesday, reports emerged that the club had brought back a familiar face.
The move filled a major need on defense, given the departure of Demario Davis this offseason. Davis moved on, signing a deal with the New York Jets.
That opened the door for the Saints to bring back Kaden Elliss. The deal, as reported by NFL Network and covered by ESPN, is a three-year deal worth $33 million. The 30-year-old left division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, to return to where it all started.
Elliss was a seventh-round selection of the Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft. He had a hard time working his way up the Saints’ defensive depth chart. His best year in New Orleans came in 2022 when he racked up 78 combined tackles, with 43 solo ones. He had a career-high 7.0 sacks, putting him on track to cash in with the Falcons.
With his three-year deal expired in Atlanta, Elliss returns to New Orleans to fill a major gap in the Saints’ linebacking core. In his three seasons in Atlanta, Elliss racked up over 100 tackles all three years. He notched 155 in 2024, mostly as part of Atlanta’s pass-rush defense.
In New Orleans, Elliss will likely play a similar role. He’ll be counted on to create pressure and potentially take over the role that Davis held.
Saints Could Use Elliss’ Durability
One of the most interesting parts to Elliss’ game is his durability. He played in all 17 games during his tenure in Atlanta. Going back to his final year with the Saints, Elliss has played in every game for four straight seasons.
That’s impressive considering the 30-year-old’s hard-nosed approach. That’s something the Saints will be looking to cash in on. The club could certainly use plenty of consistency in the linebacking core.
Elliss easily climbs into the top spot on the Saints’ left inside linebacker spot. He’ll join Pete Werner on the right side and Chase Young on the strong side.
That depth looks good for the Saints, as there don’t seem to be any real question marks moving forward.
New Orleans Looking to Climb out of the NFC South Cellar
The Saints have already made a couple of major moves this offseason. On Monday, the club signed running back Travis Etienne, Jr. That deal helps boost New Orleans’ offense.
There’s also a chance that the club could have some other moves tucked up its sleeves. The main point is to climb out of the NFC South cellar. Considering that the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Falcons all finished 8-9, there’s a real chance that the Saints can turn things around next season.
With a handful of games going their way, the Saints could easily get to 8-9 as well next season. A winning year could give New Orleans a shot at making headway in the division. The team won four of its last five games this past season. So, that’s plenty of reason to be encouraged next season.