At this point in the season, sifting through the free-agent market isn't going to produce much. The players who are still out there on their couches are there for a reason.
But one potential target at a position of need could help the San Francisco 49ers immediately.
That player would be linebacker Kwon Alexander.
The familiar face could have a positive impact for that very reason: he's already familiar with Robert Saleh's defense. The 31-year-old veteran has already done two tours under Saleh, and the familiarity with the scheme would help him hit the ground running quicker than the average free agent signed in mid-November.
Alexander's impact could extend beyond what he can bring as an individual contributor at this stage of his career, and to that end, this might be the biggest benefit to signing the veteran post-trade deadline.
Kwon Alexander could bring a positive impact to 49ers defense in more ways than one
Alexander has always been a what-if kind of player throughout his career. His talent is tremendous, but injuries have kept him off the field and led to inconsistency when he has been able to suit up.
He began something of a resurgence when he landed with Saleh and the New York Jets in 2022. That continued the following year when he moved on to the Pittsburgh Steelers before suffering a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season.
That's an injury that historically takes a long time, even after recovery, for a player to get his explosion back, and even if that happens, it's likely in a diminished capacity. Now, further removed from his recovery, Alexander should be as close to his pre-injury level as he's ever going to get.
That's where the familiarity comes into play. Alexander's comfort in the scheme will shorten his mental processing time, helping him make up for his diminished physical form.
The greatest impact he can provide, however, is sharing that knowledge with the younger players at the position to help build improvement across the board.
When Alexander was in New York, Jets linebacker Quincy Williams gushed over his leadership and energy and credited him with his improvement in the scheme.
Williams went from an electric, but erratic wrecking ball to a much-improved player in 2022, which he then parlayed into a Pro Bowl nod in 2023.
Now, the greatest impact he can make with the Niners would be helping Dee Winters get back on track. Winters looked like a budding star next to Fred Warner in the early going.
Winters posted PFF grades of 74.3 or better each of the first three weeks of the season, but since then, he's failed to break a 59.5 mark, with a low point coming in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams, with a putrid 29.2 grade.
Coverage has been of particular concern, as Winters' strong start has given way to a 118.2 passer rating allowed on the season.
His slide began prior to Warner's injury but went into overdrive without the All-Pro backer by his side. Alexander can help him get back on track by helping him understand Saleh's zone concepts better and helping him to build the confidence necessary to translate his athletic ability into actual football production.
You're not going to find a ton of impact at this point in the season, but if you're going to go with a guy off the street, you could do a lot worse than a savvy veteran leader like Kwon Alexander.