Elliss will attempt to disrupt Tampa Bay’s offense on Sunday.
Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss has sure tackling abilities that cannot be overstated. Last year, Elliss led the team with 151 total tackles, 85 of which were solo, allowing him to finish ninth in solo tackles for the 2024 regular season. Elliss totaled a combined 11 tackles in two matchups last season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will be looking to hunt his NFC South rival yet again on Sunday.
With Grady Jarrett having departed over the offseason, Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich knows that he will have to rely on Elliss and other veterans to be everywhere on every play, especially in the trenches. In Week 1, Elliss will have to decipher the pre-play packages of Buccaneers running backs Bucky Brooks and Rachaad White.
Brooks and White work as dual threats for quarterback Baker Mayfield, operating as pass blockers, in the ground game as rushers, and deploy as underneath check down passing targets on broken plays. Fortunately, Elliss will be in the lineup to assure that the both Buccaneers backs stay contained.
Elliss and the Falcons did not allow a rushing touchdown to the Tampa Buccaneers in 2024, a statistic the team defense should hang their helmets on heading into this weekend.
Perhaps Elliss will work as a quarterback spy on passing downs this weekend. The versatile linebacker recorded a career-high 16 QB hits last season. Either way, Ulbirich will need to find a way to conjure up a quality pass rush to make things harder for the opposition so Elliss can work.
The Falcons allowed the Bucs a whopping 160 rushing yards in their first meeting last season, a number they do not want to duplicate in Week 1. Sunday’s NFC South showdown kicks off at 1 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.