Elliss made 12 starts in New Orleans before starting all 51 games in three seasons with the Falcons. He was New Orleans' seventh-round pick in '19 and totaled eight sacks, 13 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, eight tackles for loss and 101 tackles in four years. With Atlanta, he had 12.5 sacks, 32 quarterback hits, 29 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and 380 tackles.
"He's a really challenging matchup," Moore said. "His ability to rush the passer, to play coverage, he's really smart, really savvy. And then you match all his leadership and his ability to influence the locker room, we felt like it was just a really good opportunity for us. Especially with (defensive coordinator) Brandon (Staley's) scheme and the way he utilizes backers and the pressure plans that we can utilize with Kaden, I think it's going to be a perfect match for us. For Kaden, I think it's a really good situation."
Elliss said returning was special.
"Getting to pull up to the facility again brings back a lot of memories," he said. "A lot of memories of happiness, joy, winning, hard work. A lot of people that you love are still in this building and some aren't, but you remember what you did with them here. Getting to come back has been special.
"I left here, I think I had 11 starts that year (in '22). Now, I think I had 51 in Atlanta so it's a lot of experience that I didn't have before. I got to play under three different defensive coordinators, so a lot of new schemes that I had to learn. You've got to figure out new ways to skin the cat. Understanding the game from a more complex standpoint. But at the end of the day, it still comes down to running, hitting and playing hard and hopefully that's the same as it's always been."
Elliss returned as five-time All-Pro [Demario Davis](/team/players-roster/demario-davis/) departed. Davis, who mentored Elliss in New Orleans, signed a free agent deal with the Jets.
"In a football sense, and as a man, Demario taught me so much in a very similar way (as his father)," Elliss said. "Getting to be behind him was such an amazing blessing that maybe at the time you didn't realize it, because it meant you weren't playing. But what it meant was when I did get to play, I was ready. Because I got to watch him go to work every single day, I got to watch the way he approached everything, I got to watch the way he prepared for the game, I got to watch the way he played, I got to watch the way attacked different situations.
"And he always talked about his bag. The things he'd pull out of his bag — whether it was coverage or pass rush or run. He's such a special human being. And then you get into what he does off the field and how he treats people in the locker room, how he treats the young rookie when he comes into the room as a seventh-rounder. He's just a world-class human.
"His leadership, his voice, his wisdom – I don't think you can replace that with one human being."
### **DAVID EDWARDS**