The New Orleans Saints were very excited about linebacker Kaden Elliss last summer, and it’s easy to see why: he’s an impressive athlete. While Elliss saw his rookie year cut short by a torn ACL in Week 3’s win over the Seattle Seahawks, he worked hard to recover from surgery and showed up to training camp ready to roll.
And the plays he’s made helped convince the Saints to release veteran linebacker Nigel Bradham, a somewhat-splashy signing added just before camp kicked off. While Elliss isn’t challenging Demario Davis or Alex Anzalone for snaps with the first-team defense, he’s going to get opportunities to make an impact if he keeps it up.
On Wednesday, Elliss won a one-on-one rep definitely by covering tight end Garrett Griffin so well that he nearly ran Griffin’s route for him, jumping the pass and streaking towards the end zone for a would-be defensive touchdown. It’s a great example of the traits that Elliss could use to succeed in the NFL: his agility, awareness, and ball skills combining for a big win.
It’s exactly the sort of play Elliss needs to make to help him stand out from other backups like Joe Bachie, Andrew Dowell, and Chase Hansen. Check it out for yourself:
Kaden Elliss: TO THE HOUSE 👏😂#SaintsCamp pic.twitter.com/fDO5nQ8lmX
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 26, 2020
