Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander was one of the NFL’s feel-good stories in 2016, emerging from relative obscurity to have his best season at age 33. Now he’s turned that breakout year into a new contract with the Buffalo Bills.
Lorenzo Alexander staying with the Bills after breakout 2016 season
Alexander is sticking with the Bills after coming out of nowhere to have a career year at age 33.
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it’s a two-year deal for Alexander worth $9 million with $4.1 million guaranteed. It’s a big payday for a linebacker who made less than $9 million in the first 12 seasons of his NFL career and $885,000 during his breakout 2016 season.
Alexander entered the league in 2005 as an undrafted free agent, getting brief practice squad stints with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens. He signed with Washington in 2006 and spent the next several years as a key special teams contributor, making the 2012 Pro Bowl on special teams.
After that Pro Bowl year, Alexander landed a three-year, $9.5 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, but a foot injury ended his 2013 season early. He was cut by the Cardinals in 2015 and spent one year with the Oakland Raiders before the Buffalo Bills signed him.
And 2016 was a special year for Alexander.
He ended up being a perfect fit in Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defense and turned in the best season of his career. Alexander racked up 12.5 sacks, 76 tackles, three forced fumbles, and six passes defended, all of which are easy career highs. With new head coach Sean McDermott favoring the 4-3 scheme, Alexander wasn’t an easy fit and allowed him to test the open market.
There are obvious questions about whether Alexander is a one-year wonder, but his production in 2016 is hard to deny, and the veteran should still have a solid couple of years left in him. The Bills were a middling defense a year ago and would’ve been much worse off without Alexander. They’ll hope for similar production in 2017.
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