As the Saints get ready to open the 2026 season on the road against the Detroit Lions, the biggest defensive question hanging over Brandon Staley’s group is how it will handle life without Demario Davis. But according to New Orleans Football Network’s Nick Underhill, the player who may matter most in that transition is veteran linebacker Kaden Elliss.
Speaking with Mike Triplett, Underhill made the case that Elliss is the central piece in what Staley wants this defense to become.
“Elliss is interesting because I think that he is the piece Staley’s looking at as the straw that stirs the drink a little bit,” Underhill said. “I think he views him as like, here’s my first handpicked chess piece. Like I can do all this stuff with him.”
That kind of trust comes from Elliss’ range. Underhill pointed to the way Elliss can rush the passer, drop into coverage, and move around the front seven as the kind of flexibility Staley has leaned on in his defenses. That versatility gives the coordinator room to disguise coverages, shift responsibilities, and create matchups that work in his favor.
“I think he opens up the defense and gives them versatility that if he disappeared, I don’t know what you would... I don’t know how that would change,” Underhill continued. “That is a big one because it does feel like he is a little bit more so, positional value aside, like a Jenga block on the defense and that, like if he vanishes, where do you go?”
The point is clear: Elliss is not just a body filling a spot after Davis left in free agency this offseason. If he goes down, the Saints would have to rethink more than one position. Staley would be forced to reshape how the whole defense functions.
With training camp now underway, Elliss is one of the most important players to watch in New Orleans. If Underhill is right, he could wind up being much more than a starter - he could be the piece that makes the entire defensive plan work.
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Saints Camp Opens With Pressure Building Around A Long Awaited Turnaround
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There is still plenty to sort through before the Saints can call this a true turnaround, though. Injuries remain part of the backdrop, and the teams depth will be tested as camp unfolds, while changes on defense and special teams add another layer of uncertainty to the mix. For a franchise looking to turn a promising finish into something more lasting, the next few weeks should say a lot about how real this optimism actually is. [Read more 🡒]