FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — It could be argued Kaden Elliss is the anchor of the Atlanta Falcons' defense. It is indisputable he's the anchor of the inside linebacker room.
He's easily the most experienced among his peers. Thankfully for them, he's willing to share his experiences.
But who exactly are those peers? Well, let's take a closer look at all of the Falcons' inside linebackers ahead of the 2025 training camp in Atlanta.
INSIDE LINEBACKER
Position coaches: Jeff Ulbrich (defensive coordinator) | Barrett Ruud (inside linebackers coach)
Returning starters: Kaden Elliss, Troy Andersen
Notable newcomers: Divine Deablo
Rest of the roster: JD Bertrand, Josh Woods, Malik Verdon, Nick Kubitz, Caleb Johnson
Offseason departures: Nate Landman (signed with Los Angeles Rams in March)
3 key questions for Atlanta's inside linebackers
1. How does Kaden Elliss continue to impress?
Elliss joined the Falcons after a breakout 2022 season with the New Orleans Saints in which he posted a personal-high seven sacks through his first full season of work. He has since not just played in every game for the Falcons but started. His first season saw four sacks. His second, five. Those totals both ranked third on the team.
Sure, Elliss is an asset in other ways – his triple-digit tackle counts ranked either first or second each year – but his pass-rush abilities are what make him special behind the defensive line. He’s an additional threat to the quarterback. The challenge for Elliss is continuing to build upon that success with his third defensive coordinator and system in just as many seasons.
"Kaden is a freak, right?" Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said. "Whether he's rushing the passer, whether he's playing behind the ball, he has that Kobe Bryant mentality to get better at something every single day. He truly means it, and you can feel it in how he prepares and how he practices, how he eats, how he does everything. He's that kind of guy."
2. Will Divine Deablo be a starter?
Deablo came to Atlanta from the Las Vegas Raiders, who selected him in the third round of the 2021 draft and kept him through his rookie contract. He had a few bouts with injures, primarily in 2022 when he played in only eight games because of a forearm injury, but appeared in or even started double-digit games every season otherwise. He totaled two sacks, six pass breakups and 10 tackles for loss through his four seasons so far.
During open offseason practices, Deablo more times than not lined up alongside Elliss with the first-team defense. Elliss normally wore the green dot for the Falcons in 2024, but Morris said Deablo is also capable of doing so in 2025. That's high praise early into Deablo's time in Atlanta.
"His athleticism stands out; it's been unique," Morris said. "His length stands out, which has been unique. And really, him keying and being dialed behind the ball, probably a lot better than we thought. I'm really fired up to see that."
3. Can Troy Andersen remain healthy?
The Falcons picked Andersen in the second round of the 2022 draft because the guy is an absolute athlete. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, Andersen ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at his combine, which was the fastest among his position group and put him in the 98th percentile within the Mockdraftable database. He had a 128-inch broad jump, too, that placed him in the 94th percentile. His explosiveness was evident.
That showed in his rookie season, appearing in every game and starting five, but has lacked ever since due to injuries. In 2023, a shoulder/pectoral injury sidelined him for all but two games. In 2024, a knee injury held him out for all but seven games. And so far in 2025, Andersen was not present during any of the Falcons' open offseason practices.
"It's really unfortunate that he's been banged up for most of his pro career," Ruud said. "I still think Troy at his peak is a high-end NFL linebacker. The most important thing is to get back at 100% so you're not thinking about an injury."
