Kiko Alonso agrees to restricted deal to stay with Saints
The New Orleans Saints are going to need to make salary cap space to ultimately be players in free agency, and it looks like they are getting a little relief. On Tuesday night, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed that linebacker Kiko Alonso has agreed to terms on a restricted deal to stay in New Orleans. Per his report, Alonso will take less than the $7.8 million he was slated to make, which in turn will help the Saints with their cap space situation.
After being traded to the team from the Dolphins on September 1 last year in exchange for Vince Biegel, Alonso played in 13 games for Dennis Allen's defense in 2019. His stats don't immediately leap out at you, but he was an important piece to the linebacker puzzle with injuries to Alex Anzalone and Kaden Elliss. Alonso would regularly start alongside Demario Davis and A.J. Klein, with Alonso getting some favor in nickel coverages with Davis.
Alonso missed a handful of games between Weeks 14 and 16 due to a thigh injury suffered on Thanksgiving night against the Falcons. The Saints surely could have used him in that stretch, but still ended up going 2-1. Alonso returned for the season finale, and was geared up for the postseason. Unfortunately, Alonso was lost for good in the Wild Card game against the Vikings due to a torn ACL, but he has been rehabbing extremely well with Dr. Sharif Tabbah in Miami.
New Orleans missed out on Jamie Collins, while A.J. Klein left for Buffalo. Another target reportedly linked to the Saints, Kevin Pierre-Louis, signed with the Redskins. Top prospects Blake Martinez, Cory Littleton, and Joe Schobert were all snatched up, and while there are still plenty of potential fits still left, most of the big names are now out of the picture for the team.
