As of earlier this month, impending free agent linebacker Lorenzo Alexander seemed eager to test the open market beginning March 9, but the Bills will first make an attempt to re-sign the 33-year-old off a breakout season. Alexander’s agent, Peter Schaffer, will meet with the club Saturday, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News.
After serving as primarily a special teamer with the Redskins, Cardinals and Raiders from 2007-15, Alexander stunningly emerged as a top pass-rushing option last season in Buffalo. Alexander racked up 76 tackles, 12.5 sacks – 3.5 more than he totaled over the first nine years of his career – three forced fumbles and an interception across 16 starts en route to second-team All-Pro honors. Thanks to that, and the franchise tags given to Chandler Jones, Jason Pierre-Paul and Melvin Ingram, Alexander stands as PFR’s sixth-ranked unsigned edge defender.
Schaffer posited earlier this month that Alexander, who was a minimum salary benefit player in 2016, could garner anywhere from $5MM to $10MM per year on his next contract. In addition to considering the Bills’ offer – if they make one – Alexander will have to mull how he’d fit in their new defensive system in 2017. Alexander’s success last year came under then-head coach Rex Ryan, whom the Bills replaced with another defensive mind, Sean McDermott, in January.