|
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander is re-signing with the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Saturday. The two-year deal is worth $9 million, with $4.1 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson. Alexander tweeted about the deal shortly before the team's announcement. Alexander, 33, was among the NFL's surprise stars of last season after enjoying a late-career breakout year. Starting all 16 games at outside linebacker in former coach Rex Ryan's 3-4 scheme, Alexander had 12.5 sacks, tying him for third-most in the NFL behind Atlanta's Vic Beasley Jr. (15.5 sacks) and Denver's Von Miller (13.5). Alexander was selected as an AFC starter to the Pro Bowl and was named the game's defensive MVP after intercepting NFC quarterback Kirk Cousins in the closing minutes. He was also named a second-team All-Pro selection by the Associated Press. The Bills signed Alexander to a one-year, $885,000 deal last April and projected him to continue in a special-teams role that had defined his career to that point. In 10 seasons with the Redskins (2006-2012), Cardinals (2013-14) and Raiders (2015), Alexander had made only 16 starts and tallied no more than 2.5 sacks in any season. However, Alexander became an opening-day starter after first-round pick Shaq Lawson landed on the physically unable to perform list and veteran Manny Lawson was surprisingly released during final cuts. Alexander played in 73 percent of defensive snaps and 55 percent of special-teams snaps. ESPN's Mike Rodak contributed to this report.
|
