After spending the season with the New Orleans Saints,29-year-old linebacker Kiko Alonso will re-sign with the Saints after agreeing to “a restricted deal” per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Alonso was slated to make $7.8 million in 2020 but his new deal will pay him less than that, clearing up some cap space for the team in the process.
The #Saints and LB Kiko Alonso have agreed to terms on a restricted deal and he’ll stay in New Orleans, source said. He’ll take less than the $7.8M he was slated to make, helping the team with some more space.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2020
Alonso's career has been a bit of a roller coaster up to this point. A second-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2013, Alonso's 159 total tackles as a rookie ranked third among all NFL players.
A torn ACL kept him out of his second season and the 6-foot-3, 239-pound linebacker was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. After one season in Philadelphia, Alonso was traded once again, this time to the Miami Dolphins.
Alonso spent three years as a starter for Miami before being traded for the third time, to the Saints. Although Alonso started just four of the 13 games he appeared in for New Orleans last season, the former Oregon star's contribution cannot be understated.
Alonso totalled 31 total tackles and six tackles for a loss for New Orleans last season and despite playing just 296 total snaps in 2019, his 69.5 grade ranked 20th among all linebackers per Pro Football Focus.
With what is becoming a sad trend in his career, Alonso suffered yet another torn ACL during New Orleans' playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. However, Alonso is expected to make a full recovery and will likely be ready to suit up for week one in 2020.
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