Falcons Predicted to Potentially Have Surprise Double-Digit Sack Artist in 2025

Atlanta Falcons rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., along with free agent signee Leonard Floyd, face the most pressure to fix the team's meager pass rush. But according to The Athletic's Josh Kendall, the Falcons defense could improve their pass rush behind the breakout of a different defender.

Kendall called linebacker Kaden Elliss the Falcons' breakout candidate for the 2025 season.

"The Falcons spent most of their offseason capital acquiring edge-rush talent, adding outside linebackers Leonard Floyd (free agency), Jalon Walker (No. 15 pick) and James Pearce Jr. (No. 26 pick). But the most impactful pass rusher on the team might end up being an inside linebacker," Kendall wrote. "Elliss has totaled 16 sacks in the last three seasons, and more impressively, he leads the NFL in pressure percentage during that period, harrying the quarterback 26.3 percent of the time he rushes the passer.

"The seventh-year veteran could top double-digit sacks for the first time in his career this season as new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has promised to keep deploying him in the pass rush despite the edge additions."

It's a bit odd to label Elliss a breakout candidate. The inside linebacker has posted at least 122 combined tackles during each of his first two seasons with the Falcons. In 2024, he had 151 combined tackles, including eight tackles for loss, five sacks, three pass defenses and an interception.

But Kendall appears to see Elliss potentially "breaking out" in the sack category. His previous career high is seven sacks in 2022. Elliss reached that total when he was with the New Orleans Saints.

The Falcons would likely have a much improved defense if Elliss contributed 10-plus sacks in 2025. Atlanta hasn't had a defender reach double-digits in sacks since Vic Beasley during the team's 2016 NFC championship season.

In a perfect world, Walker, Pearce or Floyd will be the first Falcons defender with at least 10 sacks in nearly a decade. That will be proof Atlanta's offseason moves worked.

But if opposing offensive lines become so concerned about those edge rushers beating them, there could be an opportunity for Elliss to get to the quarterback more often.