In the age of the internet, anyone with a dial-up modem is now qualified to be a pro football general manager or a coordinator. I'm just as guilty as the next fan for being overly critical of specific plays, players and team transactions.
Since Christmas, 49er fans have been sharing loud opinions on who the team should sign once free agency officially opened.
We all found ourselves in different camps supporting different star players, (read: Odell Beckham, Junior, Earl Thomas, C.J. Mosley) but we all agreed general manager John Lynch needed to make a splash signing on the first day of free agency.
Naturally, Lynch surprised nearly everyone and signed five-year linebacker Kwon Alexander to a four-year contract worth $54 million. It made him one of the highest paid linebackers in professional football.
Response ranged from confused to unenthusiastic, with the occasional angry fan in the mix to make the Twitter timeline interesting.
I wanted the 49ers to bring Mosley to the Bay, but after watching tape on Alexander, I'm pleased with the acquisition and look forward to what he brings to the locker room and the huddle.
During the 2017 season, Pro Football Focus awarded him a career-high game grade of 93.8. In this performance, Alexander tallied one tackle, one sack, and one interception.
Just a few weeks later, Alexander earned a season-low 41.0 grade against New Orleans. He had five tackles, two assists, three-run stops, and a quarterback hit.
Alexander is a high-octane linebacker, and he showed what he can do during the opening weekend of the 2016 season.
Against the Atlanta Falcons and Kyle Shanahan's offense, Alexander racked up a career-high 15 tackles, including two for a loss and nine stops. He also added a sack to complement his afternoon.
Here is a short breakdown of Alexander's play against Atlanta.
1st Quarter – 1st and 10 at the ATL 19 (14:55)
The left tackle was uncovered, so he should have moved to the second level to block Alexander. However, I wonder if there was confusion on the block call from the tight end. The tackle and tight end tried to execute a 'Trey' block, but it wasn't necessary.
The error allowed Alexander to make a stop on the play.
However, the defensive tackle fell into the gap, forcing Freeman to 'bend' back inside.
1st Quarter – 2nd and 10 at the ATL 36 (5:30)
Lead plays require a fearless fullback who can clear a remorseless linebacker from the running lane. It also helps if the linebacker bites on the line or backfield movement, which he did in this instance.
What should have been a big gain for Atlanta turned into a fantastic play from Alexander. His speed and agility allowed him to get back into the lane and avoid the lead block from the fullback.
1st Quarter – 1st and 15 at the TAM 18 (2:31)
Alexander forgot a fundamental rule of playing linebacker: always read the guards. Linebackers who peek in the backfield often find themselves headed in the wrong direction or overshooting the gap by five yards.
Guards make money for executing one-on-one blocks, especially on linebackers who are out of position.
Levitre, somehow, slipped off of Alexander allowing him to loop around and ankle tackle Freeman.
The 49ers need defensive players who can quickly turn their mistakes, and those of the opponent, into tackles. Alexander will be a breath of fresh air come September.
Alexander was able to change direction, weave through the offense and cover 9.3 yards to make a critical tackle.
Current 49er linebacker Fred Warner probably can cover sideline-to-sideline. Indeed, he had to make up for Malcolm Smith's mistakes.
Alexander's ability to cover the entire field must have been one of the selling points for Lynch.
3rd Quarter – 1st and 10 at the TAM 25 (2:08)
Sound and sharp fundamentals keep good athletes on top of their games.
Think back to your high school practice when the linebacker coach tossed a few tackling dummies on the ground to mimic gaps in an offensive line. After choosing a victim running back, the coach sent him to the left, instructing him to run in between the left guard and left tackle.
The linebacker then had to read the ball carrier and react once he saw the back cut toward the line of scrimmage.
The tackle Alexander made here was a live version of the bag drill; it was textbook, honed through constant practice and sticking to the most elementary of drills.
The 49ers need more fundamentally sound players on defense, and Alexander will be an excellent complement to Fred Warner's already top-notch play.
Like you, I'm a 49er fan before anything else. And, like you, I had my wish list of free agents I wanted the team to sign. Alexander wasn't on the list.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Alexander brings to the 49ers' defense this fall.
All images courtesy of NFL.com.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless noted.
- Bret Rumbeck
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Written by:Bret Rumbeck has been writing about the 49ers since 2017 for 49ers Webzone and 49ers Hub. He is a Turlock, CA native, and has worked for two members of the US House of Representatives and one US Senator. When not breaking down game film, Bret spends his time seeking out various forms of heavy metal. Feel free to follow him or direct inquiries to @brumbeck.