Atlanta Falcons Training Camp Preview: Who Starts at LB with Kaden Elliss?

Nate Landman and Troy Andersen are each viable options to start for the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss spearheads a talented room that also includes Nate Landman and Troy Andersen. / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons' defense has questions both up front and on the backend, but all that exists in the middle is a problem.

And according to first-year head coach Raheem Morris, it's an "awesome problem" - the Falcons' linebacker room, from high-end talent to depth, with Kaden Elliss, Troy Andersen and Nate Landman.

"These three guys that got well-documented snaps for us and have gone out there and played a lot of football is so much fun to watch," Morris said during OTAs. "To watch them communicate, to watch them do different things, they’ve got different styles of play, they’ve got speed differences, they’ve got hand usage.

"They do so many good things."

When Morris was hired in January, he remodeled the defensive coaching staff, which included a change at linebacker coach. Frank Bush is out, Barrett Ruud is in. Like Bush, Ruud is a former NFL linebacker, though he played under Morris in Tampa Bay from 2009-10.

Now in his first NFL coaching gig, Ruud has inherited a talented group. Falcons on SI is previewing each position group. Click the link to read previews on the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends and defensive linemen/edge rushers.

Here's what to know about the Falcons' linebackers entering 2024 ...

Depth Chart

Middle linebacker: Kaden Elliss, Nate Landman, Milo Eifler

SAM linebacker: Troy Andersen, J.D. Bertrand, Donavan Mutin

Biggest Questions

1. Who starts next to Elliss?

Atlanta gave Elliss a three-year, $21.5 million last spring, and he delivered a strong return on investment. In his first season with the Falcons, Elliss, who spent the first-four years of his career with the New Orleans Saints, recorded 122 tackles, four sacks and 11 tackles for loss while starting all 17 games.

During OTAs and minicamp, Elliss was a fixture in the middle of Atlanta's defense. The spot next to him often changed.

Andersen and Landman are both entering their third year in Atlanta, but they've reached this point in drastically different ways. Andersen was a second-round pick in 2022 who took over as a starter for the final-four games of his rookie year but missed the final 13 games of last season with a torn pectoral.

Andersen's misfortune turned into Landman's opportunity, and the former undrafted free agent capitalized, logging 110 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a pair of sacks across 16 games and 14 starts.

The tale of two stories now sets up an intriguing situation entering training camp: Will the Falcons roll with Andersen or Landman more frequently next to Elliss?

The answer may vary week-to-week due to the different skill sets Andersen and Landman carry, with the former known for his athleticism and the latter viewed as more of a physical, throwback player.

As such, snaps may be dependent on scheme, package and down-and-distance, which could mean the Falcons don't have the same face starting alongside Elliss each game. But there's another possibility: Atlanta starts all three.

"It’s almost like three different coaches sitting in a room at the same time," Morris said. "It's going to be exciting to get them on the field, maybe all at the same time because they have that type of ability that warrants more playtime.

"The only way that you get more playtime is you get creative, you get innovating, you go back to your culture and how you get people to play and get people to go out there and be productive to win football games."

2. How much does Bertrand see the field as a rookie?

The Falcons selected Bertrand in the fifth round of April's draft, and the Alpharetta, Ga., native quickly made a fan of Morris because of his eagerness to talk about special teams during his visit to Flowery Branch for the team's local pro day April 12.

"He is an already-made veteran to come in here and help us win," Morris said. "And earn those stripes that he’s going to earn on special teams in order to put himself in position to play for us. We’ve got three inside linebackers that played for us last year that played significant minutes that we have a lot of high values on but that doesn’t mean that he won’t get a chance to play.

"That just means that he’s been through a little bit of that curve of understanding exactly what it takes to get to those spots."

Bertrand appears set to be Atlanta's No. 4 linebacker this year, as he consistently worked with the second-team defense during OTAs. The former University of Notre Dame standout brings the reputation of an instinctual, reliable player both on and off the field.

But training camp figures to highlight where Bertrand stands in terms of grasping defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake's scheme and whether his coverage ability warrants playing time.

Regardless, Bertrand's path to defensive snaps this fall is murky - but he still has plenty to prove in camp for his long-term profile.

3. Do the Falcons carry four or five linebackers?

Last season, Atlanta often had five linebackers on its roster, while the Los Angeles Rams, where both Morris and Lake came from this spring, had only three on their 53-man roster in Week 1.

The Falcons have three locks in Elliss, Landman and Andersen, while Bertrand appears quite comfortable with his spot on the roster. The same can't be said for Mutin or Eifler, but if Atlanta chooses to go with five linebackers, those two enter a direct competition.

Mutin went undrafted out of the University of Houston in 2023 but spent the season on Atlanta's practice squad, as did Eifler, who was undrafted in 2021 but played in two games on special teams for the Falcons last season.

It's possible both are back on Atlanta's practice squad again this fall, and with teams granted the right to promote two practice squad players for each game, Mutin and Eifler may make an occasional Sunday appearance for the Falcons.

But entering camp, both players are looking for active roster spots - the numbers just don't appear to be in their favor.

Extracurriculars

Elliss chose to sign with the Falcons in part because of the presence of then-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was on the Saints' coaching staff throughout the entirety of Elliss's four years in New Orleans.

The playbook and schematic similarities helped Elliss find immediate comfort and gave him a clear, defined role. But Nielsen ran a 4-3 defense, while Lake is transitioning to a 3-4. For Elliss, the new scheme presents a chance to build his own identity - but also puts additional pressure on him to acclimate quickly.

Bertrand is known as "Captain America" by his teammates and coaches, a nickname he earned at Notre Dame and has followed him to Atlanta. Both he and Morris said it comes from his rigorous routine and highly detailed nature.

The Falcons will hold two open practices this fall, one July 27 and the other Aug. 2. Additional information on time, location and tickets are available HERE. For Atlanta's training camp schedule, click HERE.