Breaking: New Orleans Saints trade for LB Kwon Alexander

The New Orleans Saints knew they needed help at linebacker, and with the trade deadline just hours away, they went out and acquired Kwon Alexander.

With the November 3 trade deadline inching closer and closer (of course, they had to line it up with election day, right?), the New Orleans Saints knew they needed to add some depth at linebacker alongside Demario Davis.

They went out and traded for linebacker San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Kwon Alexander. They sent away a conditional fifth-round pick and potentially a player according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

There may be more to the deal, and the conditions of the fifth-round pick will be interesting. Alexander isn’t likely to be a Pro Bowler this season, so it doesn’t seem like personal accolades will be in the discussion. The Saints’ ability to make a deep playoff run will certainly be included in there.

Alexander is the perfect addition as he’ll anchor down the middle of the field, something the team has needed since Kiko Alonso has yet to play. Alexander, back in 2016, had the most solo tackles in the NFL.

He followed that up with a terrific 2017 season in which he was named to the Pro Bowl. He hasn’t been nominated for the event since.

This is Alexander’s sixth season in the league, and injuries will be a major concern. Over the last past two seasons, he’s played in just 14 games. At just 26, the former fourth-round pick has major upside as a run stopper.

The Saints will potentially get compensatory picks for the first time in quite a while next season, so the team could be giving away a pick that they’ll eventually be able to retain the value of anyway.

This was a win-win for the Saints and 49ers, a team clearly a step behind due to injuries and in the toughest division in football.