Turn on the Saints tape, pick any of his defensive plays and you'll see the same thing: Kwon Alexander giving full effort, every time.
It's a lot harder to do than it sounds, but it has head coach Sean Payton ready to declare the team was absolutely right to trust in the linebacker's ability to recover from a significant injury when it re-signed him this offseason.
“I don’t care if you put on play 38, it’s going to look the same as play 3 for him," Payton said on WWL Radio while speaking with Voice of the Saints Mike Hoss and Bobby Hebert.
Payton's full audio can be streamed in the player below, beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Alexander's play since returning from a stint on injured reserve has been a bright spot along a talented defensive group headlined by star linebacker Demario Davis. The former LSU standout has logged 38 total tackles, 3 sacks and an interception across nine games, two more than he appeared in during the 2020 season that ended with an Achilles tear in Week 16.
One of those sacks came to snuff out a Jets drive in Week 14 just a few plays after he was called for a penalty that extended the drive, with the Saints going on to win 30-9, and holding an opponent out of the end zone for the second time this season.
In hindsight it feels like an obvious decision, however at the time it was anything but. Achilles injuries are notoriously difficult to rehab from, particularly at a position that requires agility and explosion each and every play.
Alexander was released as the Saints shed salary prior to the season, but he shared workout videos throughout his rehab, making it clear he was planning to return. The Saints ultimately brought Alexander back midway through camp, and against all odds he was active for the season-opener.
Related
He suffered a separate injury in that game and missed the next four games on IR, but he's been a mainstay of that group since returning in Week 7.
"We’re a better team with him in the lineup," Payton said, "and I’ll tell you what: Our decision to bring him back was a fantastic one. ... a lot of people might have said ‘well, with all the injuries he’s had.’ But sometimes in our business there’s an intangible element with somebody, and that exists with Kwon.”
Related
