Kwon Alexander, after being cleared to resume football activity, will visit with the Saints on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former Pro Bowl linebacker -- who was released by the Saints in March -- had been rehabbing from a torn Achilles injury sustained in Week 16 of the 2020 season.
A Pro Bowler in 2017, Alexander was traded to New Orleans from San Francisco during the second half of the 2020 season. He recorded 30 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble during his five games with the Saints prior to sustaining his season-ending injury. In 12 games last season, the 26-year-old tallied 57 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander's first four NFL seasons were spent with the Buccaneers, where he led the NFL with 108 solo tackles in 2016. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl the following season after recording 97 tackles and three interceptions.
Injuries limited Alexander to just 14 games during the 2018 and '19 seasons. In 2019 (his only full season with the 49ers), Alexander had 34 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception before suffering a season-ending injury after eight games. In 66 career regular season games, the former LSU standout has recorded 471 tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, seven interceptions and 30 passes defensed.
The Saints' defense is hoping to build off of last season's considerable success. In 2020, New Orleans ranked fifth in the NFL in points and passing yards allowed, fourth in rushing yards allowed, eighth in third down efficiency and fifth in red zone efficiency. The Saints' defense allowed just nine points in their wild-card win over the Bears before allowing 30 points in their divisional round playoff loss to the eventual champion Buccaneers.
