Atlanta Falcons 'Mr. Underrated' Poised for Pro Bowl in 2025

So, why does this matter?

In essence, it calls into focus the fact that players who don't play for marquee teams or self-promote do not receive the respect they deserve for their play. 

If a rising tide lifts all boats, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 sinks the Q Score of its players.  

Coming off a career year, what will Elliss' encore be? 

Elliss had 151 tackles and five sacks last season and led the team with 16 quarterback hits. With more bodies near the line of scrimmage under new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, Elliss might not have to make as many tackles, but he could see his opportunities to make impact plays rise. 

With the speedy Divine Deablo and the possible return of Troy Andersen, the Falcons got a lot faster at the linebacker position.

When the Falcons signed Elliss as a free agent prior to the 2023 season, he had seven sacks for the Saints on just 630 snaps. Elliss’s five sacks came on 1,095 snaps last year.

He’s been forced to play a more traditional inside role with Andersen’s multiple injuries, but the addition of Deablo should free him up to become the efficient pass-rush threat he was expected to be when he signed.   

Elliss is in the final year of the three-year, $21 million contract he signed with the Falcons. If he continues this stellar play, a few things will happen in the next long stretch. First, the Falcons will make the playoffs, realizing the hopes of long-suffering Falcons fans.

Next, he will finally make a Pro Bowl, going from underrated to undeniable. 

Lastly, he will receive an extension that should keep him in Atlanta for the next three or four years. If not, someone will pay his asking price and will be happy about doing so.

General manager Terry Fontenot signed a slew of free agents prior to the 2023 season. Nearly all of them hit. Safety Jessie Bates III is one of the best defensive players in the game, and Kaden Elliss should finally be recognized as one of the best linebackers in the game.