The New Orleans Saints placed safety Smoke Monday on season-ending injured reserve, in an announcement by the team on Friday.
Monday injured his knee during practice earlier this week. No further details on his injury were available, other than it was a ‘‘significant’’ knee injury.
Monday, an undrafted rookie from Auburn, had a strong start to training camp. In four years at Auburn, Monday amassed five interceptions, 13 passes defensed, 17 tackles for loss, six sacks, and scored three defensive touchdowns.
Monday's move to injured reserve creates roster space for veteran LB Kiko Alonso, who was officially signed on Friday.
Alonso, who turns 32 on August 14, was previously with the Saints in 2019. He appeared in 13 games for New Orleans that year, recording three tackles for loss among 31 total stops and five QB pressures.
Alonso suffered a serious knee injury during the Saints 2020 Wild-Card loss to Minnesota. New Orleans would trade him to San Francisco the following November in exchange for LB Kwon Alexander. Alonso did not play a snap for the 49ers that season and hasn't played in an NFL game since the Vikings loss on January 5, 2020.
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