Energetic. Leader. Brings the juice. These are among the phrases and phrases used to explain Jets linebacker Kwon Alexander.
But the eight-year veteran doesn’t simply need that to be his id.
“I’m really not a hype man, I just love football,” Alexander advised the Daily News. “They get to the purpose of me being a hype man, however I simply love the sport. I in all probability like it greater than some folks. I identical to to convey folks collectively as this sport is like little league as you play like that.
“You don’t must have all these phrases. Some folks come into the league and don’t prefer to be themselves. I identical to to point out everyone that I identical to to have enjoyable, play quick and make performs.
“But I’m a playmaker before a hype guy.”
The Jets signed Alexander shortly after the beginning of coaching camp to shore up their linebacking corps. He reunited with Jets coach Robert Saleh as the 2 have been collectively when Saleh was Alexander’s defensive coordinator with the 49ers in 2019 and ‘20.
Alexander has been a former Pro Bowler throughout his time with the Buccaneers as he averaged 112 tackles throughout his first three years (2015-2017) within the league. But accidents have outlined his profession in latest seasons. During the final 4 seasons, Alexander tore his ACL and pectoral, underwent surgical procedure to restore a biceps damage and suffered an Achilles damage.
This has restricted him to 38 video games since 2018. Alexander’s manufacturing additionally dropped as he hasn’t recorded greater than 57 tackles throughout that point.
“I’m not worried about any injuries, that is in the past,” Alexander stated. “All I can do is transfer ahead and simply maintain going.
“Those injuries made me who I am today. I just go out there and play free and with a free mind.”
Alexander will look to assist flip round a Jets protection that was statistically the worst within the NFL in 2021 (397.6 yards per sport). Gang Green additionally completed twenty ninth in speeding protection (138.6), thirtieth in passing yards (259.4) and final in factors allowed per sport (29.6).
It has been a small pattern dimension, however Alexander has already impacted the Jets’ protection. In the second quarter of the preseason finale towards the Giants, Alexander knocked Giants working again Antonio Williams again up to now that he pressured the ball unfastened. While the Giants have been in a position to get better the soccer, they later punted the soccer.
“He looked fast, he looked fresh, he was energetic, his legs were obviously behind him because he was delivering some pops on the backs and getting on and off blocks in block protection on O-linemen,” Saleh stated. “He looked really good and again, he’s only going to get stronger as he goes, so as long as he continues to take care of his body and attacking his regen like he knows he should, he’s going to be fine.”
Inside the locker room, teammates and coaches have loved having Alexander round. He has a handshake for each one among his teammates, one thing he began when he was with the Saints.
Alexander thought it was a approach to convey all his teammates collectively after celebrating an enormous defensive play. Not solely do the Jets take pleasure in his power and excessive motor, however Saleh believes so do the Jets followers.
“If you listen to the TV copy, they were on an off-topic, they were talking about something else and then that hit happened and it brought them back in the game too,” Saleh stated.
“So anytime you have a guy who just has so much energy and his communication, his volume and his voice, the detail, the effort, his style of play which embodies everything that we talk about with that effort, technique and a violence that we expect to see play in and play out from everybody, he embodies all of it, so he brings people to life and it’s all the little things.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com