Kiko Alonso

Alonso hasn't actually played in the NFL since 2019, but he rejoined the Saints on Thursday. After three days at training camp, Alonso decided to officially hang it up a week shy of his 32nd birthday. Alonso began his NFL career in Buffalo when the Bills selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft. He spent time in Philadelphia before catching on in Miami and logging three consecutive seasons of 115+ tackles. His final season was spent in New Orleans, in which he appeared in 13 games, starting four. Alonso finishes his career with 588 tackles, 369 solo tackles, and 30 tackles for a loss in 86 career appearances. 

Now 31 years old, Alonso has not played since 2019. He had an injury washout in 2020 and remained unsigned for 2021. Alonso flashed explosive early-career play-making ability, but it was steadily eroded by injury. He knows Dennis Allen's system after playing for the Saints in 2019-20, but it seems like an extreme long shot that he actually makes the 53-man roster considering his age and injury history. 

The 49ers did not activate Alonso before the deadline. Alonso is only a Niner because he was traded by the Saints to help offset Kwon Alexander's salary. He is in the final year of his contract. Now on the wrong side of 30 with an increasingly lengthy injury history and declining play, Alonso will have his work cut out for him to earn a 2021 role somewhere. 

It's the rare player-for-player deal as the Saints were simply willing to take on Alexander and, more importantly, the $33 million against the cap he accounts for over the next two seasons. Alonso, 30, has yet to play this year after suffering a torn ACL in New Orleans' Wild Card loss to Minnesota but did record 31 tackles in 13 games with the Saints last season. Alonso is set to enter free agency in March.