New Orleans Saints linebacker Kiko Alonso suffered a torn ACL during the team's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media.

Alonso went down with the injury during the first half of the game and didn't return. This is the third time that he has suffered a torn ACL, so he is familiar with the rehab process.

The Saints acquired Alonso before the 2019 season in a trade with the Miami Dolphins and it has paid dividends. He started off the season slow, but during the stretch run, he didn't leave the field much. He appeared in 13 games for the Saints getting four starts and racking up 31 tackles and two quarterback hits.

It's worth noting, Alonso is 29-years-old and it gets more difficult to come back from injuries as age increases, but the hope is he can still have a big impact on the Saints next year.

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JC Latham (Alabama), Chris Braswell (Alabama not Jaguars), Cornelieus Johnson (Michigan) in action behind a New Orleans Saints logo with a 2024 NFL Draft background.

Dylan Bruton ·

Alonso was initially a second-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2013 and he played two seasons with them. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 but suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the second quarter of Week 2. It wasn't long until he found himself being traded again as he was sent to the Miami Dolphins in 2016 where he spent three seasons.

The Saints' defense made big strides forward during the 2019 season and the play of Kiko Alonso was a big reason why. Next season the hope is the Saints can improve even more, and he can continue to be a big part of the improvement.