New Orleans Saints: Analyzing the impact of the Kwon Alexander trade

Analyzing Alexander’s Production

Due to his elite athleticism – a 4.55 40-yard dash – Alexander will always be an enticing player.

The key for him, however, is harnessing that athleticism. His 17.8 percent missed tackle rate is a major concern and wouldn’t appear to mesh well with a Saints team that has had their fair share of tackling issues, particularly from the back-seven.

On the bright side, Alexander may be able to help fix the team’s coverage woes. His 50.9 quarterback rating when targeted illustrates the fact that he has generally been productive in pass coverage, and considering New Orleans has struggled to defend the middle-of-the-field, those skills would be useful.

Meanwhile, he hasn’t been used much as a pass-rusher over the past few seasons, but he did have 12 quarterback hits in the first two years of his career, and his overall efficiency when rushing the passer has been adequate.

Considering how much defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes to blitz his linebackers, I am guessing we’ll soon get a better idea of Alexander’s capabilities in that regard.

Lastly, Alexander’s durability has been a consistent problem throughout his career. He has missed a combined 21 games over the past 2.5 seasons and hasn’t played since Week 5 due to an ankle injury.

It appears that he is ready to come back, but still, the Saints may need to monitor his snap counts, at least initially.