BREAKING: Saints LB Kaden Elliss Is Set To Leave New Orleans Saints Due To… Wait, He Just Re-Signed?
METAIRIE, La. – In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through the NFL landscape, sources are reporting that New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss is set to leave the organization… except for the fact that he literally just got back.
If you are a New Orleans Saints fan who clicked this headline in a cold sweat, take a deep breath. Kaden Elliss is not leaving the Saints. In fact, the exact opposite is true: the veteran linebacker just completed a blockbuster reunion with the team that drafted him, signing a three-year, $33 million contract to return to the Crescent City .
The confusion surrounding Elliss’s status stems from a chaotic 2026 offseason that saw the departure of a franchise legend and the stunning return of a former disciple. While the internet buzzes with hypothetical trade scenarios and free agency predictions, the reality in Metairie is that Elliss is preparing to take the field as a Saint, not pack his bags.
Here is the truth about Kaden Elliss’s status, the massive void he is filling, and why the narrative of his “departure” is a year too late.
The “Departure” That Already Happened
To understand why reports of Elliss leaving are false, one must rewind to the 2023 offseason. That was the actual year Kaden Elliss left New Orleans. After a breakout 2022 campaign where he recorded seven sacks, the restricted free-agent market dictated his exit. He signed a lucrative offer sheet with the Atlanta Falcons—a bitter pill for Saints fans to swallow .
He spent three years in Atlanta, becoming a full-time starter and an iron man. He recorded three straight 100-tackle seasons, including a career-high 151 in 2024, and proved he was one of the most effective pass-rushing off-ball linebackers in the league .
So, when the 2026 league year began, Elliss was an Atlanta Falcon. The expectation was that he would either stay in Atlanta or sign elsewhere. He was, for all intents and purposes, a “former Saint.”
The Demario Davis Shockwave
The reason the 2026 offseason felt different—and why news of a linebacker leaving New Orleans dominated the headlines—was the stunning exit of Demario Davis.
For eight seasons, Davis was the heart and soul of the Saints’ defense. He was a five-time All-Pro, a team captain, and the spiritual alpha of the locker room. He seemed ageless, but Father Time eventually forces every roster’s hand. In a move that shocked the league, the 37-year-old Davis signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the New York Jets .
The departure of Davis created a leadership void so vast that many analysts predicted a full-scale rebuild of the defense. It was the biggest “leaving” story of the Saints’ offseason.
However, General Manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore moved with breathtaking speed to fill that void—not by drafting a rookie, but by poaching a player from their arch-rival.
The Reunion: Why Elliss is Staying
Within 24 hours of Davis’s departure, the Saints pivoted hard. They inked Kaden Elliss to a three-year, $33 million contract that includes $23 million fully guaranteed. It is the exact same average annual value ($11 million) that Davis received from the Jets, but for a player who is seven years younger .
By June of 2026, Elliss is no longer a visitor or a rumor. He is the starting linebacker in Brandon Staley’s revamped defense.
During recent OTA practices, Elliss has been taking the first-team reps and, notably, wearing the “green dot” helmet communicator—a responsibility he earned in Atlanta. When asked about the pressure of replacing Demario Davis, Elliss was adamant that he is not trying to be a clone.
“It’ll be very daunting. He’s a special player, special man, special leader,” Elliss told reporters after a practice this week. “That’s not what it is. I’m coming here to be Kaden Elliss and be me.”
He added that the leadership role will need to be a “group effort,” but the Saints are paying him starting money to produce starting numbers.
The Contract Reality
According to salary cap data from Over the Cap, Elliss is firmly entrenched in the Saints’ future plans. Cutting or trading him in the 2026 season is a financial impossibility; he carries a dead cap hit of $23 million if released .
· 2026 Cap Hit: $5.3 million
· 2027 Cap Hit: $13.7 million
· 2028 Cap Hit: $14 million
This is not a rental or a one-year prove-it deal. This is a commitment to Elliss as the quarterback of the defense for the next three years. The narrative that he is “set to leave” is entirely backward; he is set to be the foundation.
What About the Falcons?
The only “leaving” that occurred this offseason was geographical. Elliss left Atlanta to return to New Orleans.
This move has sparked predictable outrage from the Falcons’ fanbase. The Atlanta All Day blog recently speculated that Elliss might regret the move, arguing that he left a superior pass-rushing situation with the Falcons for a rebuilding project in New Orleans .
However, Elliss himself shot down any notion of regret. Speaking to The Advocate, he admitted he didn’t even think a Saints reunion was possible because he assumed Demario Davis would never leave. When the opportunity presented itself, he texted his family three emojis: a fleur-de-lis, a crown, and a frog—a code they instantly understood meant he was coming home .
“I’m excited to learn from [Brandon Staley],” Elliss said. “There’s truly different things I haven’t done before. I don’t want to be out there in game one like it’s my first game in this defense. I want it to look like it’s my 50th game.”
The Final Verdict
To set the record straight: Kaden Elliss is not leaving the New Orleans Saints.
The confusion appears to be a symptom of the rapid churn of the NFL news cycle—where a player who left the team three years ago re-entered the market, caused a stir, and was swiftly re-acquired.
The Saints have their man. While the rest of the NFC South wondered how New Orleans would recover from losing a legend like Demario Davis, the front office executed a rare “replacement reunion.” They brought back a homegrown talent who has grown into a star elsewhere.
As Training Camp approaches in late July, all eyes will be on how Elliss handles the pressure. For now, the only thing Kaden Elliss is leaving behind is his time in Atlanta. He is staying in Black and Gold.
