As is the case with the secondary, the Atlanta Falcons inside linebacker group has changed very little this offseason. As is the case with the safety position, the Falcons have one established starter there and a pair of talented, young candidates to start next to him.
For this group, that means Kaden Elliss is locked in, Troy Andersen is a likely starter, and Nate Landman is one of the best depth pieces of the roster. The Falcons could have stood pat with that group and chosen from one of a handful of deep depth options, but instead they wound up using a draft pick on Notre Dame linebacker JD Bertrand, who Raheem Morris has fondly nicknamed “Captain America.”
That makes this a group with real importance to this defense and perhaps a little bit of intrigue—can Andersen stay healthy and thrive?—and creates a little intrigue around a position that is otherwise one of the most settled on the roster. Let’s dive in to how inside linebacker has changed.
Changes: One addition
When you have a fairly young, talented group like the Falcons do, there’s no great urgency to upgrade. But the Falcons never stop tinkering with their roster and never believe you can have enough young talent at a given position, hence the selection of JD Bertrand.
We’ll dive into Bertrand a little more below, but suffice to say he’s a special teams addition with upside in 2024, with a potential brighter future to come when and if the composition of this group changes. It’s worth noting that Elliss can be cut next year with over $5.2 million in savings, Andersen’s rookie deal is up after 2025, and Landman will be a restricted free agent next spring. If the team wants to give Bertrand a larger role, the means to do so will exist in the next 1-2 seasons.
For the moment, though, the pecking order is established here. Elliss is a good starter who is coming off a strong first year in Atlanta where he was an asset against the run, as a pass rusher, and in coverage. That and his durability should conspire to make him the most reliable player in this group.
The hope is that he’ll be joined by Andersen in a critical third year, with the Falcons counting on a breakout. Andersen had impressive moments in year one and was finding his footing in year two before an injury robbed him of much of the 2023 season, but he’s now returning to health and eager to prove that outlandish athleticism that drew the Falcons to him will translate to on-field excellence. Atlanta is particularly hopeful he’ll prove to be a rangy, standout coverage option for them to help out a secondary with some question marks.
Then there’s Landman, who did such impressive work as a long-term fill-in starter last year when Andersen went down that he’s emerged as vital depth. Affordable, genuinely excellent against the run, and not a complete liability in passing situations, Landman may give Andersen and Elliss early down breathers when necessary and will be called upon if injury strikes this group again.
That top three is strong and Bertrand is a roster lock, which means Milo Eifler and Donavan Mutin are battle one another for what I’d expect to be a single possible practice squad spot. There’s not a ton of drama here if everyone is healthy; it’s just a question of whether the Falcons want to do and will get Bertrand some playing time on defense this year. When you have a group with this much talent and multiple starting-caliber players, there’s a reason you don’t re-invent the wheel.
Key addition
- JD Bertrand. General Manager Terry Fontenot has referred to Bertrand with the classic “four down player” label, which tells you the team envisions an immediate role for him on special teams. A smart, disciplined tackler with college teams experience, Bertrand should be an asset immediately there. On defense, Bertrand’s willingness and ability to do a little bit of everything figures to play in his favor, setting him as a capable reserve and injury fill-in should he be called upon. The team loves his leadership ability and smarts, likely appreciate his college pass rushing production and mostly strong tackling, and think they can work on some of his shortcomings in terms of angles and coverage to make him a more complete player. That may lead to something down the line, but for the moment, a limited role on defense while he adjusts to the pro game is probably best for everyone.
