Injuries have become a consistent problem for Kwon Alexander, who has done well to find opportunities despite a host of setbacks. The veteran linebacker is attempting another comeback, this time from an Achilles tear that ended his season with the Steelers.
The Falcons brought in Alexander for a recent workout, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicates the Vikings did the same. Alexander has now been with five NFL teams, most recently the Steelers in 2023, during a nine-year career. He landed gigs in late July — with the Jets and Steelers — over the past two years, but thanks to the Achilles injury suffered in November, that timetable understandably changed in 2024.
Alexander, 30, played in nine Pittsburgh games last season while making two starts before going down in a Packers matchup November 12. Alexander has continually made it back from injury issues. This dates back to a 2018 ACL tear while with the Buccaneers. Alexander then sustained a torn pec during his first season on a lucrative 49ers contract. Last year’s Achilles tear also was not Alexander’s first as a pro, with the veteran defender going down with the same injury late in the 2020 season while with the Saints.
Considering Alexander’s age and injury past, it is impressive he has continued to resurface. Last season, the former Bucs standout made 41 tackles (five for loss) and intercepted a pass for a Steelers team that encountered health issues at linebacker. Alexander started 12 games for Robert Saleh‘s top-five defense in 2022, and while he played 17 games, the former fourth-round pick was a part-time player (49% usage rate) alongside standouts C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams.
For his career, Alexander has made 88 starts. The Vikings did work on their defensive second level this offseason, adding Minneapolis-area native Blake Cashman in free agency and hybrid player Andrew Van Ginkel. The team won bidding wars for both. Minnesota has also seen Ivan Pace go from 2023 UDFA to starter at the position. Kamu Grugier-Hill and 2022 third-rounder Brian Asamoah are in place behind Cashman and Pace, though neither has played a defensive snap thus far this season.
If healthy, Alexander would provide second-level depth to a team. But he is certainly running out of chances due to the growing list of setbacks sustained during a lengthy career.