Getty The New York Giants need linebacker help in free agency after Jarrad Davis underwent knee surgery.
Jarrad Davis’ knee surgery only reinforces the need for the New York Giants to add some help at inside linebacker via free agency. The position was already a question mark, but fortunately, the market contains some help in the form of a “trustworthy veteran” who has proven his durability in recent seasons.
Kwon Alexander is a good fit for three teams, including the Giants, according to Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton. The well-travelled 28-year-old, who’s had stops with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, “can fill a starting spot at linebacker with the ability to handle green-dot responsibilities because of his experience (eight pro seasons) and play on the weak side of the formation.”
Moton also credits Alexander with having “played well on all three downs.” Perhaps most important from the Giants’ perspective, the eight-year pro has “played in at least 12 contests in the previous three seasons. In fact, Alexander suited up for every game with the New York Jets in 2022.”
That’s the level of durability the Giants require at a position they partly bolstered by signing Bobby Okereke from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. He’ll make a difference, but the other key phase of the plan was bringing Davis back following some solid performances late last season.
The latter’s injury means Giants’ general manager Joe Schoen should go searching for yet more experienced linebacker help.
4-Team Veteran Can Help Giants Now
Alexander’s versatility would make him a useful weapon in the blitz-happy schemes preferred by Giants’ defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale. He’d have no problem designing pressures for a linebacker who blitzed 27 times and logged four sacks and 11 pressures the last two seasons, per Pro Football Reference.
The Giants blitzed a league-high 39.7 percent last season, but Alexander’s range in coverage could be a greater asset. He’s comfortable locking onto inside receivers, the way he did against Cincinnati Bengals’ tight end Tyler Eifert for this interception from Alexander’s days with the 49ers, highlighted by David Lombardi of The Athletic.
Kwon Alexander was awesome for the 49ers yesterday… interior run stuffs, tracking John Ross on the outside, flat coverage… and this interception working vs. the TE Eifert — but don’t miss the Nick Bosa pressure that forced the pick. That’s a burst and a half:
Shadowing tight ends was a problem for Giants’ linebackers all last season. The weakness was ruthlessly exposed by T.J. Hockenson and the Minnesota Vikings.
Hockenson burned the Giants for 23 catches, 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns in two games. He often beat linebackers like Davis and Jaylon Smith in space.
The Giants can’t afford this weakness in the NFC East, a division where the Philadelphia Eagles can unleash Dallas Goedert, while Dalton Schultz is an effective outlet for the Dallas Cowboys.
Alexander is smart and physical enough to solve the issue because he can handle multiple routes across the middle. That’s what led to this interception for the Saints against the Buffalo Bills in 2021.
First, Alexander jammed then passed off tight end Dawson Knox running vertically, before picking up wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders on a shallow crossing route. It was excellent zone recognition from a savvy linebacker who has seen all the tricks from pro offenses.
The Giants should act fast to acquire a player with Alexander’s smarts after Davis’ setback.
Surgery Disrupts Giants’ Plans
Davis is expected to “be out for a prolonged period of time after he recently had knee surgery,” per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. As Schwartz noted, the alternatives are Micah McFadden and Darrian Beaves, but McFadden has only seven starts to his name, while Beavers is coming back from a torn ACL.
Starting either player would make it tougher for Okereke to make an impression during his first season with Big Blue. The smarter, safer move would be to put a natural defensive signal-caller like Alexander alongside the ‘backer who signed a four-year, $40-million deal back in March.
Alexander fits the bill because of his ability to read plays and organize teammates. He did both on this heads-up play for the Jets against the Cleveland Browns last season, highlighted by Jets X-Factor co-founder Robby Sabo.
D.J. Reed comes up with a tremendous open-field tackle as the weak-side corner, but Kwon Alexander may have performed the best “push of a teammate” in history here.
Excellent recovery as a whole, as Stefanski tries to sneak one off the weak-side EDGE. #Jets
Letting Alexander call the defense on the field will give Okereke, who logged 151 tackles in 2022, more freedom to attack. That combination would ensure Martindale’s risky brand of defense is secured by a firm foundation.