World News – United States – Saints land LB Kwon Alexander in trade with San Francisco 49ers

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It turns out New Orleans would be buyers on the deal deadline as they add a well-known name on the second level

As the NFL trade deadline approaches, the New Orleans Saints shocked the fanbase with a defensive move no one really expected With the struggles New Orleans have had on the defensive end of the ball, many expected a look in the secondary or pass Instead, the Saints chose to give more help to their linebacker room

In the trade, the Saints sent in a conditional 5th round pick and LB Kiko Alonso who started the year on the PUP list recovering from ACL injury Alonso had yet to see the pitch this season Alexander is suffering from his own injury, a high ankle sprain that has kept him from going out since week 5 Now that he’s healthy he’s been treated with the Saints No need to worry of his limited participation status last week as the 26-year-old would likely not be eligible to play Tampa Bay (another of his former teams) due to Covid protocols This means he should have around two weeks to recover further before being invited to play

The 49ers have reportedly been interested in treating Alexander since the Super Bowl but were unable to do so due to his medical condition Another big factor in this trade was the former LSU Tiger’s contract He signed a 4-year, $ 54 million contract with the 49ers in 2019 and he was restructured ahead of this season. Now the 49ers will stay on the hook for a large part while the Saints take very little He has a high base salary over the next two years of $ 12 55M and $ 12 65million But both amounts are not guaranteed

A very interesting profession for the #Saints Should owe Alexander only $ 3M for the year and they will save around $ 900K by getting rid of Alonso, so only $ 2M Alexander has only $ 2 million left in injury protection so they can start again next year without ceiling problems

The next factor is where does the newly acquired linebacker stand? Alexander has appeared in five games this season, adding 30 total tackles, one for a loss and a sack According to Pro Football Focus, the majority of these shots were played in the WILL position or in place of Demario Davis As Larry Holder observed, seeing him take snapshots of Davis once he’s available is a long shot.However, Alexander has a wealth of experience at the MIKE spot, where Alex Anzalone usually plays The Anzalone Game in the cover. has been inconsistent so far this season and the Saints could be looking for a boost

Why would the Saints add a linebacker as opposed to a safety or defensive aide? The point is, the Saints are among the lowest in the league when it comes to allowed 20-yard passing games with 20, the fifth-lowest total in the league. Although they are, however, tied for most of the league’s passes in 40 passing yards allowed with seven, that’s still just seven of the 240 total passes attempted against them. That’s not to say the high school doesn’t need help, they clearly do, but the Saints may have chosen to go with the linebacker because they allowed passer odds of 124 (at left), 107 (middle) and 105 (right) and a total of 15 passing touchdowns within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage This includes 289 yards and two touchdowns in the middle with a 70% completion percentage

The point is, protecting the midfield in the passing game is always of great value and importance to NFL teams The Saints are no exception when they find themselves in this area above the league’s already poor defensive average

Secondary help is always worth hoping whether it’s through trade or a signing from a free agency after exploring the trade market (ETIII anyone?) But adding a piece like Kwon Alexander is a good boost for Saints defense Yes he has injury issues just like Kiko Alonso But when in good health Alexander helps in an area where Alonso was not so helpful By PFF the native of ‘Oxford, AL has put in three seasons of cover levels above 680 as late as last season and four season passes above 710 including this year Anzalone has never achieved that level of coverage in his career so far, and Alonso hasn’t done it since his first year in 2013 The accelerated pace of passing, Anzalone has only achieved once

Getting a boost in either of these elements makes for a day three pick and a player who may have barely seen the field for New Orleans a small prize to pay

What do you think of Kwon Alexander’s business? Let us know in the comments Make sure to follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel As always, you can follow me on Twitter @RossJacksonNOLA and subscribe to my daily Saints, Locked On Saints podcast

San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Kwon Alexander, linebacker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kiko Alonso, NFL