Saints Rumors: Kiko Alonso Agrees to Contract, Hasn't Played Since 2019

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly expected to sign linebacker Kiko Alonso after he worked out at team facilities Thursday.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Saints plan to "take a shot" on the veteran linebacker despite Alonso having not played a down since the 2019 season.

Alonso suffered a torn ACL during the Saints' NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in 2020 and was not medically cleared to play during the following season. The San Francisco 49ers, who traded for Alonso in November 2020, released him after he was unable to pass a physical three weeks after the deal was completed.

Alonso sat out the 2021 season as well.

A 2013 second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills, Alonso looked like a star in the making during a stellar rookie campaign, racking up 159 tackles and winning the PFWA NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He suffered his first torn ACL while working out ahead of the 2014 season, forcing him to miss that entire campaign.

The Bills traded Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, and he struggled to find his former form and suffered a partial tear of the same ACL he tore a little more than a year prior. The Eagles moved on after only one season, sending Alonso to Miami, where he revived his career and posted three 100-tackle seasons before being sent to New Orleans ahead of the 2019 season.

For his career, Alonso has racked up 588 total tackles in 86 career games. It's likely he'll compete for a backup spot on the Saints roster over the course of training camp. That said, soon-to-be 32-year-olds with a history of significant knee issues rarely make much of an impact.