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Kiko Alonso celebrates a play at the Buffalo Bills game.
After spending the past two seasons away from the NFL, Kiko Alonso is ready to make a comeback.
The former Buffalo Bills linebacker has signed with the New Orleans Saints, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on August 4th. Alonso was rehearsing with the Saints that day and reportedly got a contract and a chance to try for a place on the shortlist. If Alonso can pull it off, it would be the first time he’s stepped into an NFL stadium since the end of the 2019-20 season.
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Alonso is part of the history of the bills
The 31-year-old linebacker had a strong start to his NFL career in 2013. After the Bills dropped him into the second overall pick, Alonso led the team with 159 tackles and four interceptions in his rookie season. Finishing second in the defensive rookie vote that year, Alonso appeared to have a promising future with the Bills but wouldn’t play another season with the team.
Alonso was shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles in a somewhat unexpected season in a somewhat surprising one-to-one deal to bring back LeSean McCoy. The trade was a boon to the Bills, who put together one of the best fast attacks in the league with McCoy. He also helped the team weather a 17-year drought in 2017 as he cut 1,586 yards from the scrimmage with eight touchdowns total.
Alonso will continue to have a checkered history with the Bills after his departure. In a 2018 game, when Alonso was playing for the Miami Dolphins, he was sent off for a late kick on Bills quarterback Josh Allen as he slipped. The play began with an argument between the two teams.
Goalkeeper Ike Boettger, who jumped on Alonso after the hit, said he wanted to protect the rising midfielder.
Boettger said via buffalo news. “This has been our mentality forever since I played offensive line. It wasn’t even a question what Josh was trying to do. If they were going to take a shot like that in the middle, you have to defend him.”
Alonso’s chance to come back
In early 2020, it looked as if Alonso’s career might be coming to an end. In the Saints’ playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings on January 6, the linebacker suffered an ACL tear in his right knee—the third time he has torn the ACL since college and the second time on his right knee. Alonso made 13 appearances in his final 2019 NFL season, making 25 tackles and defending one pass.
as such Saints News Network SI.com Note that the team has been in need of more full-back depth to the training camp and is expected to look for at least one veteran addition. Alonso will likely fight for a place behind Dimario Davis and Pete Werner. There’s going to be some competition, as New Orleans drafted DeMarco Jackson this year and brought in Navi Sewell and Isaiah Pryor, both converted safety staples.
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