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The top priority for Matt Ryan in his first offseason leading the Atlanta Falcons' front office seems to have been retaining the team's top players rather than focusing on new acquisitions.
Ryan has done a good job of taking care of the major pieces, re-signing wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts to long-term contract extensions. However, he didn't manage to keep every important piece for the Falcons - and one player that left in free agency could come back to bite them in a bad way.
That would be inside linebacker Kaden Elliss, who had served in the green dot role for Atlanta's defense, which now falls to Divine Deablo. Elliss returned to the New Orleans Saints on a three-year, $33 million deal that the Falcons probably could have matched or beaten if they really wanted to. Now, he'll be suiting up for their most bitter rival and could be a big x-factor in the NFC South race.
According to Pro Football Focus, Elliss re-joining the Saints is one of five underappreciated acquisitions around the NFL from this offseason.
"During his three-year tenure in Atlanta, Elliss performed at a high level but was subject to poor surrounding play, not to mention subpar team results. However, he could be in for a season in which many more become familiar with his game... Elliss’ versatility could add new layers to a unit that punched above its weight class. If Elliss can act as an every-down playmaker in 2026 on a growing defense, it should only help the blossoming Saints make more noise."
Deablo is an equally underrated defender who had an excellent 2025 season across the board, earning strong grades in run defense, pass rushing and coverage.
However, the rest of Atlanta's depth chart at linebacker looks a lot more bare without Elliss in the fold - and if Christian Harris can't fill the void Elliss left behind then the Falcons may be forced to start a rookie at the other linebacker spot - either LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. or Oklahoma's Kendal Daniels.
The 2016 Falcons defense was a rare exception to the rule, but rookies tend not to thrive in their first year in the NFL - especially Day 3 draft picks. Much depends on how well Harris will perform next to Deablo, but Elliss may end up helping the Saints surpass Atlanta in any case.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons LB makes PFF's 'underappreciated' signings list
