Familiarity with Sean Payton continues to provide jobs for some players in Denver, as a handful of former Saints assistants are also on the HC staff in their second year. Kwon-Alexander to the pipeline from the Saints to the Broncos.

The veteran linebacker has been working out for the team, according to Mike Klis of 9News, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com indicates that the club is looking to add to the practice squad. Alexander will join the Broncos at the Greenbrier in West Virginia, where they are practicing for their Week 4 game against the Jets.

Alexander, recovering from his second torn Achilles tendon of his NFL career, had previously auditioned for the Falcons and Vikings. The Broncos saw enough to give this reunion the green light. Alexander will join a Broncos team that already features seven former Saints – Adam Trautman, Wil Lutz, Malcolm Roach, Calvin Throckmorton, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Lucas Krull And Jordan Jackson — on his active list.

Alexander spent 2022 with the Jets and 2023 with the Steelers, but was traded from the 49ers to the Saints in 2020 and played the entire 2021 season – Payton’s last game in New Orleans – with the NFC South team. The 30-year-old Alexander started 15 games with the Saints under Payton. He helped lead a division champion in 2020 and recorded 3.5 sacks, despite operating primarily as an off-ball LB, in 2021

While the Broncos’ ILB coach (Greg Manusky) was not in New Orleans at that time, ex-ILB Michael Wilhoite — Denver’s OLB coach — was on Payton’s staff during Alexander’s tenure. Alexander also recovered a fumble against the Broncos during a 2020 game that is remembered largely because the AFC West team had no active QBs due to COVID-19.

Alexander was once a standout Buccaneers back who landed a lucrative free agency deal with the 49ers in 2019 despite suffering a torn ACL. His first season with the Saints ended due to a torn Achilles tendon and suffered the same injury last November – albeit to his other Achilles tendon. The Saints nevertheless re-signed the talented defender in August 2021. Alexander has played effectively in spurts. He started 12 games in 2022 for one of the Jets’ top-five defenses. Last season, Pro Football Focus rated the nine-year veteran as a plus-coverage ILB. The Broncos will certainly want to see how he looks in practice, though, given the extensive injury history here.

Denver has signed Cody Barton start on the side Alex Singleton in this off-season, Josey Jewell Overflow to the Panthers. Jonas Griffith had competed with Barton for this job, but did not make the team due to another serious injury. Justin Strnad And Christian Welch are Denver’s second ILBs. Alexander will certainly have a chance to move up to the 53-man roster soon.