Kwon Alexander continues to hint at a possible NY Jets reunion
By Justin Fried
They say the heart wants what the heart wants. If that's the case, it certainly seems as though Kwon Alexander wants to return to the NY Jets in 2023.
Alexander remains a free agent after taking an official visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers last month. The Jets could look to re-sign the veteran linebacker at some point in the future, and if Alexander has his way, that might just happen.
Alexander seemed to hint at a potential Jets reunion in a recent video posted to Instagram. In the video, Alexander can be seen wearing green cleats and a Broadway Joe Namath t-shirt while working out to his own music featuring lyrics referencing the Jets.
It's never wise to read too far into social media posts during the offseason, but it doesn't get much clearer than that. Whether that means the Jets are nearing a deal for Alexander or just that he still has them on his mind is unclear.
Those are some pretty strong hints, however.
The NY Jets should consider re-signing Kwon Alexander
The Jets signed Alexander to a one-year deal last August, and the former Pro Bowl linebacker went on to play 49 percent of the team's defensive snaps in 2022. For just the second time in his eight-year career, Alexander played more than 12 games. In fact, he appeared in all 17 of the Jets' games.
The Jets drafted Western Michigan linebacker Zaire Barnes in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and will return the likes of Jamien Sherwood and Hamsah Nasirildeen, but there isn't an obvious replacement for Alexander currently on the roster.
You could very easily make the argument that Alexander was the Jets' second-best linebacker in 2022. His 63.0 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 41st out of 81 linebackers and was his highest grade since his 2017 Pro Bowl season. And perhaps most importantly, he stayed healthy.
The Jets could use another veteran linebacker on their roster, and it would make sense to bring back the same player who filled that role last season. It would be risky to rely on the likes of Sherwood, Nasirildeen, and Barnes to replace Alexander in 2023.
The team could also look to sign a different veteran linebacker. Notable free agents include Deion Jones, Myles Jack, and Zach Cunningham — all of whom were, at one point, among the better linebackers in football.
It remains to be seen what the Jets' plan for the linebacker position is, but it sure seems as though Alexander would be very open to a return. He's made that pretty clear.