Kwon Alexander is ready to roll in his first training camp practice with the New York Jets
On Friday, the New York Jets agreed to terms with former Pro Bowl linebacker Kwon Alexander on a one-year deal to help bolster the depth of the team’s linebacker corps. After spending the next few days working out in preparation to join the team for practice, Alexander took the field for the first time on Monday.
In this clip from Florham Park courtesy of Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo, Alexander can be seen warming up while donning a No. 9 jersey.
#Jets’ new guy in the house, Kwon Alexander, No. 9. pic.twitter.com/PPeO3ZBdga
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) August 1, 2022
Alexander was also featured in a short clip shared by the New York Jets Twitter account, taking the practice field with a mantra of “legendary vibes”.
“Turn me up, now. Don’t turn me down,” Alexander says.
.@kwon in the building. Legendary vibes ✈️ pic.twitter.com/fRB6BVlOoJ
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 1, 2022
Alexander, who will turn 28 on Wednesday, is entering his eighth NFL season. The former Buccaneers, 49ers, and Saints linebacker has battled issues with injuries and poor run defense in recent years, but he offers a proven track record of high-quality coverage skills, which will be welcomed by a Jets linebacking unit that is riddled with youth and uncertainty.
Reports indicate that the Jets are currently planning to use Alexander as their No. 3 linebacker on the depth chart behind starters C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams. He projects as their primary sub linebacker. In this role, Alexander will primarily play the WILL and SAM linebacker positions, typically rotating into the game when the Jets use their 4-3 base personnel (3 LBs).
Alexander played under now-Jets head coach Robert Saleh from 2019 to 2020 while Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. In the 2019-20 playoffs, Alexander gained some experience in the sub-linebacker role that he projects to play in New York. Alexander registered an average snap ratio of 38% across San Francisco’s three playoff games, which is a similar amount of playing time to what he currently projects to receive as a Jet.
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