Eagles LB Alonso expects to play Saturday . . . finally

Chip Kelly once explained Kiko Alonso's style of playing linebacker as "Kiko see ball, Kiko tackle ball." But Alonso has not seen the ball much this summer, and he has not done any tackling.

That changes on Saturday, when the Eagles' inside linebacker finally plays his first game in an Eagles uniform against the Green Bay Packers.

"I don't know how much I'm going to play," Alonso said, "but very excited."

Alonso, who the Eagles acquired for LeSean McCoy in March, missed almost two weeks with a concussion suffered on the third day of training camp. Even though he returned last week, Alonso did not play in the first two preseason games.

He had company on the sidelines - Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans also did not play in those games. All three are expected to play on Saturday, so the wrapping paper will finally come off the three-man inside linebacker rotation that the Eagles have touted since the spring.

"These guys have played a lot of football, so I've seen a lot of live football from them, so it's really not something we need," defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. "I think they need it sometimes more than anything, just kind of to get the rust off and tune up and get ready to go, but it's not something that I need to see because I know what they can do."

Philadelphia fans have seen Ryans and Kendricks during the past three seasons. They have not yet seen Alonso, who could develop into a foundation piece on the Eagles defense for years to come.

The former Oregon standout is 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds with a rare blend of size and athleticism. In one season with the Bills, he recorded 159 tackles, four interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. His coverage ability should help bolster the Eagles' secondary.

"Kiko is one of the most well-rounded inside 'backers," Davis said. "He's got length, he's got speed, athleticism, and he's a strong tackler. . . . We're really excited to see Kiko out there."

Tight end Zach Ertz, who played against Alonso in college, described his new teammate as a player "who can do it all" - from coverage to blitzing to supporting the run game. Ertz praised Alonso's instincts at the position.

"His intelligence, from a football standpoint, really sticks out on the field," Ertz said. "The guy doesn't fall for play-action."

Alonso missed all of the 2014 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, so Saturday actually marks his first game since Dec, 29, 2013. He admitted it has seemed like a long time, and he said he's a smarter player since when he was last on the field.

His former college teammates have a catalog of Alonso plays they've seen that will leave observers awe-stricken. Defensive lineman Taylor Hart pointed to a diving interception in the 2012 Rose Bowl. Running back Kenjon Barner chose a play from practice in the spring when Barner said it almost seemed like Alonso was the blocker and not the defender because of the way he identified where the play was going.

Alonso will finally be able to show that ability in a game on Saturday. He said it's important to play with Kendricks and Ryans in a game to build chemistry with his new teammates. When Ryans is off the field, Alonso said he has enough of an understanding to make the defensive calls.

But Alonso's hallmark is not what a scheme allows him to do as much as the instincts he brings to the scheme. While he's expected to play a limited amount of snaps on Saturday, those snaps could be enough to give Eagles fans a glimpse of why the team is so high on Alonso.

"I think Philly fans are going to love him," Ertz said.