Ale Kaho

Career StatsD

Year	Team	GP	Tkl	Sacks	INT
Career		8	4	—	—
2025		8	4	0.0	0

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

This A+ CVI reflects an absolute steal for Washington, landing a proven rotational linebacker at basement prices in today's inflated market. Kaho brings legitimate NFL experience and versatility at just $1M AAV — the kind of contract value that separates smart front offices from the pack. At this price point, even rotational-level production delivers exceptional return on investment, and the minimal $100K guarantee means Washington carries virtually zero downside risk while maintaining roster flexibility. The three-year structure gives the Commanders cost certainty through 2026 while allowing Kaho to potentially earn a more substantial payday if his role expands or performance jumps. This is exactly the type of under-the-radar signing that builds championship-caliber depth — Washington gets a legitimate NFL player who can contribute on defense and special teams without handicapping their salary cap flexibility for premium positions.

Performance Analysis

Ale Kaho is a developmental linebacker in Washington's rotation, a raw rookie still carving out his NFL identity across just eight career games. Early returns have earned him a D grade, which, while discouraging, must be contextualized against the steep adjustment curve most linebackers face in year one. The league historically sees even promising rookie 'backers struggle with recognition and assignment, making small sample sizes particularly unforgiving. The most glaring concern is his tackle production, averaging just 0.50 tackles per game against an NFL average of 3.80 and an elite threshold of 7.69. That gap isn't merely statistical noise — it reflects limited snaps, situational deployment, and the fundamental challenges of a rookie learning a complex defensive system. There are no standout metrics to offset the production shortfall at this stage, leaving his profile almost entirely projection-based. His 2025 season carries an F trend grade, signaling that his current contributions aren't yet moving the needle for Washington's defense. However, linebackers with his profile have historically shown sharp improvement between years one and two once the playbook becomes instinctive. Watch his snap count trajectory and special teams usage next season — those are the developmental markers that will define whether Kaho has a legitimate roster future in Washington.

Current Sentiment

Ale Kaho's public perception reflects that of a fringe NFL player struggling to establish himself as a legitimate roster candidate with the Washington Commanders. The media narrative around the linebacker has been consistently skeptical, with analysts openly questioning whether his minimal rookie-year contributions—highlighted by his first NFL tackles not occurring until Week 10—demonstrate sufficient value to warrant a 53-man roster spot. His appearance in the Week 10 fines report for an on-field penalty only reinforced concerns about his readiness and discipline at the professional level. With zero impact statistics across all major defensive categories and a minimum-salary contract that provides no financial incentive to retain him, Kaho enters the 2026 season viewed as a long-shot to survive roster cuts rather than a developing contributor. The prevailing sentiment suggests he needs a significant training camp breakthrough to shift from replacement-level depth piece to viable NFL linebacker, earning him a concerning D- grade in public perception.