The Denver Broncos were quite aggressive in the 2025 NFL Offseason, signing four notable veteran players in Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, Evan Engram, and JK Dobbins. Thus far, Hufanga has been one of the best free agency signings made by any team, as he could fetch an All-Pro honor this year.
All of Greenlaw, Engram, and Dobbins have had their moments, but both Greenlaw and Dobbins have been hurt this year, and Engram's role in the passing game just hasn't been what the Broncos or many of us have envisioned. The free agency market is always tough to navigate, and it seems like GM George Paton didn't hit a home run here last offseason.
The Greenlaw addition had the most stakes if you think about it, as the Broncos' ILB room has been a bit of an issue for multiple years now. Unfortunately, he's played in just eight games this year and likely isn't going to suit up until the playoffs. Denver signed him to a $31.5 million contract last offseason with $11.5 million guaranteed. The team can get out of this contract after 2025, and they might have a $28 million solution to this Greenlaw problem,
The Broncos could pursue ILB Kaden Elliss in the 2026 free agency period
Kaden Elliss is 30 years old and is a free agent in 2026. He's a linebacker on the Atlanta Falcons, the brother of Broncos' pass-rusher Jonah Elliss, and someone who was drafted by Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints back in the 2019 NFL Draft.
There are two extremely obvious connections here, and Elliss is simply a more reliable player than Greenlaw has been. He also might be a better player. According to spotrac.com, Elliss' market value in free agency is a three-year deal worth nearly $28 million.
Elliss has played in every single game since the start of the 2022 season, and in 16 games with the Falcons this year, as one interception, five passes defended, one forced fumble, 3.5 sacks, 101 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 10 QB hits. His breakout began back in 2022, his final year with the Saints.
Since 2022, Elliss has racked up 19.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, and 42 QB hits in 67 games. He's an elite rusher from the ILB position and a reliable, above-average linebacker who could fill a legitimate need for Denver in 2026 and beyond.
Denver is surely set to splurge a bit in free agency in 2026, and signing Kaden Elliss makes sense for a plethora of reasons.