The New Orleans Saints have signed linebacker Kiko Alonso and placed defensive back Smoke Monday on Injured Reserve, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis.
Alonso, 6-3, 239, was originally selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round (46th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Oregon. The eight-year NFL veteran has appeared in 86 career regular season games for Buffalo (2013-14), Philadelphia (2015), Miami (2016-18) and New Orleans (2019), while recording 100+ tackles in four seasons. For his career, Alonso has recorded 588 tackles (369 solo), three sacks, ten interceptions, 17 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.
In 2019, Alonso was acquired by New Orleans at the end of the preseason and played in 13 regular season games with four starts, recording 31 tackles (25 solo) and one pass defensed. In the NFC Wild Card Playoff loss to Minnesota, Alonso posted two tackles (one solo), suffering a knee injury that he rehabbed with New Orleans and San Francisco in 2020, while spending 2021 out of football.
The Los Gatos, Calif. native was a three-year letterman for the Ducks, playing in 36 career games with 17 starts and amassing 143 tackles (99 solo), 3.5 sacks, six interceptions, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. As a senior in 2012, Alonso started 12 games and finished the season with 81 tackles, one sack and four interceptions
