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DENVER, COLORADO – OCTOBER 26: Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos looks on during the first quarter in the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Empower Field At Mile High on October 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
The Denver Broncos could be in line for a reunion that makes plenty of sense on multiple levels.
FOX Sports recently named Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss as a potential free-agent fit in Denver, pointing to both his production and his ties to head coach Sean Payton.
“Elliss, 30, is a productive linebacker who blitzes well, with 19.5 sacks in the last four years,” FOX Sports’ Greg Auman wrote.
He added that Elliss “probably lands a similar deal” to the three-year, $21 million contract he signed with Atlanta in 2023.
Auman floated the possibility that he could “reunite with Sean Payton in Denver, where he could play with his brother Jonah.”
That combination of familiarity, scheme fit and family connection makes the projection feel very realistic.
Elliss’ Proven Production and Pass Rush Ability
Elliss has quietly developed into one of the more productive off-ball linebackers in football.
Over 99 career games between the New Orleans Saints and Falcons, he has totaled 438 tackles, 244 of them solo, along with 20.5 sacks, 37 tackles for loss and 45 quarterback hits.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2023, his impact has been even more noticeable.
In 2024, Elliss posted 139 total tackles and five sacks.
He followed that up in 2025 with 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six passes defensed and an interception across 17 games.
Even dating back to 2022 with the Saints, he recorded seven sacks in a rotational role, showing the versatility that has defined his game.
Pro Football Focus credited him with an 84.6 pass rush grade last season, the fourth highest among qualifying linebackers.
For a Broncos defense that values pressure from multiple levels, that skill set stands out.
Elliss may line up inside, but he consistently threatens quarterbacks as a blitzer, something Payton himself highlighted.
A Familiar Face and Broncos Family Reunion
Payton has never hidden his admiration for Elliss.
We drafted Kaden in New Orleans,” Payton recalled in 2024, smiling as he described the draft day moment.”
He noted that when the Saints selected Jonah Elliss, Kaden texted him immediately, joking about the family connection.
Payton added that Kaden “is a very good pass rusher” and has “really transitioned to a really good inside linebacker.”
Beyond the sentimental angle, there is a roster need.
Only Dre Greenlaw is currently under contract among Denver’s primary inside linebackers for 2026.
Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are both set to hit free agency, and Strnad has already suggested he would only return in a starting role.
Greenlaw has also faced lingering questions about his fit in Denver, as things haven’t unfolded the way he likely hoped.
Adding Elliss would not just reunite two brothers.
It would give the Broncos a proven, versatile linebacker with 20.5 career sacks and nearly 500 tackles who understands Payton’s expectations and defensive philosophy.
If he reaches the open market, the Broncos could make a strong move.
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