Tag: Alex Anzalone

2019 Saints Season in Review: Linebacker A.J. Klein

We continue our season reviews at Saints Wire with New Orleans Saints linebacker and pending unrestricted free agent, A.J. Klein.

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We continue our season reviews at Saints Wire with New Orleans Saints linebacker and pending unrestricted free agent, A.J. Klein. 2019 was a defining season for the linebacker. Significant injuries to the linebacker corps allowed Klein to see a higher than usual snap count throughout the season.

Klein quickly became a piece of the foundation for the defense in a season that saw the unit become the one heavily relied upon.

Level of play in 2019

Klein played in 15 games in 2019, with the Week 14 contest against the San Francisco 49ers as the only game he did not compete in due to injury (thigh). During his 15 appearances, the linebacker recorded 49 solo tackles, and tacked on an interception that was returned for a touchdown in Week 17. Furthermore, Klein was great with pressure as he had six tackles for a loss, along with 2.5 sacks.

Pro Football Focus gave Klein a 48.4 grade on the season, which is below average for the linebacker position. However, Klein performed admirably when called upon, especially when fellow linebackers Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso had injury issues that saw them miss significant time in 2019.

What to expect in 2020

Klein is an unrestricted agent heading into the offseason. This status allows him to negotiate with any team in the NFL for his services. It is possible that New Orleans decides to bring back the linebacker, who has been incredibly durable. Klein signed a three-year, $15-million contract in 2017, and since then he has started in at least 12 games per season.

At just 28 years old, Klein has quite a bit left in the tank, and it seems the Saints will make a push to keep him on the team come 2020 and beyond. With Anzalone expected back in 2020, and Demario Davis coming off of a career season, Klein could see a slight reduction in his role.

Klein has proven he can help hold the linebacker unit together despite facing adversity early on. It would probably take another three-year deal with significantly more guaranteed money to keep the veteran linebacker around.

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Saints players largely pulling for LSU in CFB national title game

New Orleans Saints players like Michael Thomas wished Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers good luck against Clemson in the national title game.

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The LSU Tigers are just an hour away from squaring up against the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, and New Orleans Saints players are overwhelmingly pulling for the home team. That probably isn’t much of a surprise given the scarcity of ex-Clemson players on the Saints’ roster (linebacker Stephone Anthony is the only one to come to mind) and the close relationship between the two programs, with the Saints having opened up their team practice facility to the visiting LSU squad over the weekend.

Still, endorsements and well-wishes were flying in from all corners on Monday, with everyone from wide receiver Michael Thomas to ex-Florida Gators linebacker Alex Anzalone throwing their support behind LSU. Here’s the best tweets from Saints players as we inch closer to kickoff:

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Kiko Alonso suffered torn ACL in wild-card round loss to Vikings

The New Orleans Saints lost starting linebacker Kiko Alonso to a torn ACL in their wild-card round defeat to the Minnesota Vikings.

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New Orleans Saints linebacker Kiko Alonso received tough news on Monday, learning that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. It’s the third ACL tear for Alonso in his career, following previous injuries in 2014 and 2015. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported the injury news, which was confirmed by Nola.com’s Amie Just.

This is a big blow for Alonso, 29, who is projected to start at linebacker next season. It’s unclear who plays where — starting weakside linebacker Demario Davis is returning, as is versatile backup Craig Robertson. Alonso replaced former middle linebacker Alex Anzalone in the starting lineup when the Saints acquired him in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, and Anzalone will be entering a contract year coming off of season-ending shoulder surgery. Starting strongside linebacker A.J. Klein’s contract will expire in March. Rookie backup Kaden Elliss also ended his year with a torn ACL back in September.

In other words: Davis is the only healthy starting linebacker the Saints have slotted in for 2020. The good news is that the Saints run so deep at defensive back that they often play just two linebackers at a time, so these are hits they can absorb. The position shouldn’t be seen as a glaring need given deficiencies at other spots on the roster, but the Saints could look to add more-durable options in free agency or through the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s just disappointing to see Alonso go into the offseason like this after he played so well during his first year in New Orleans.

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Saints re-sign veteran linebacker Manti Te’o to free agent contract

The New Orleans Saints brought back veteran linebacker Manti Te’o on Tuesday, who had been a free agent since his contract expired in March.

The New Orleans Saints have re-signed former starting linebacker Manti Te’o on Tuesday, as first reported by Rob DeMello of KHON 2-Honolulu and confirmed by Sean Fazende of FOX 8-New Orleans. Te’o has been a free agent since his Saints contract expired earlier this year, receiving little interest on the open market. He met with the Oakland Raiders back in March but did not sign with the team, instead returning to Hawaii where he continued training in hopes of an NFL return while dabbling in real estate.

So what prompted the Saints to bring Te’o back in early December? Starting linebackers A.J. Klein and Kiko Alonso exited last Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons with separate injuries, forcing special teamers Craig Robertson and Stephone Anthony into the lineup. We won’t have anything concrete on Klein or Alonso’s status until Wednesday’s injury report, but Te’o’s addition gives the Saints an experienced player who knows the defensive scheme inside and out.

Te’o led the Saints defense with 15 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage back in 2017, though he was frequently inactive for much of the 2018 season while New Orleans enjoyed a streak of good health at the position. It’s impossible to guess right now how much Te’o will play moving forward (if at all), but his past success in the same situation has to be reassuring to the Saints and their fans. Expect a corresponding move to Te’o’s re-signing to be reported on the official league transactions wire on Wednesday.

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Saints designate Keith Kirkwood to return from injured reserve

The New Orleans Saints started a 21-day countdown for wide receiver Keith Kirkwood to practice with the team and return from injured reserve

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Reinforcements might be on the way for the New Orleans Saints wide receiver corps. Second-year pro Keith Kirkwood practiced on Wednesday, hours after Saints coach Sean Payton commended his progress in recovering from an early-season hamstring injury. Kirkwood has been on the shelf since hurting himself in pregame warmups back in Week 2, but the Saints designated him to return from injured reserve on the official league transactions wire.

This starts the clock on a 21-day window for Kirkwood to practice and be promoted to the 53-man roster, or else revert to the injured reserve list. It’s unclear which game the Saints are targeting in-house for him to make his return, though the earliest he’d be eligible would be Week 13’s game with the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 28, per NFL rules.

If Kirkwood is able to suit up again this season, it’s easy to see how he could help the team. They have a wide-open void at the wide receiver position opposite Michael Thomas, who has caught 86 of the groups’ 116 receptions this year. The Saints weren’t able to find any last-minute upgrades at the NFL trade deadline, so Kirkwood might be their last remaining hope for to receiving corps to suddenly improve.

Teams are allowed to bring back two players from injured reserve each season, though it’s tough to say which Saints players may qualify. We can parse the list down a bit, however, because NFL rules stipulate only players who started the year on the 53-man roster may return from injured reserve later that season. That excludes most of the players on the list, which you can find below:

 

  • C/G Cameron Tom (ineligible)
  • LB Alex Anzalone
  • LB Kaden Elliss
  • LB Colton Jumper (ineligible)
  • LB Josh Martin (ineligible)
  • TE Garrett Griffin (ineligible)
  • WR Keith Kirkwood (designated to return)

Payton said earlier this year that starting middle linebacker Alex Anzalone would miss the rest of the season after shoulder surgery, so he won’t be a candidate. That leaves rookie linebacker Kaden Elliss as the only option left, but he tore his ACL on Sept. 22. There’s no way he’ll be recovered from that in time to play later this season. So don’t expect anyone but Kirkwood to return from injured reserve in 2019.

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