ExtremeRavens Posted June 18 Posted June 18 Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say after the Ravens signed free agent cornerback Jaire Alexander on Wednesday. Brian Wacker, reporter: Adding Alexander was a no-brainer and not a surprise. The affection between Lamar Jackson and his former Louisville teammate is genuine. It’s also a low-risk, low-cost move for a player who when healthy was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. He also adds depth and talent to a secondary that has plenty of players with injury histories. That injury history of course includes Alexander, who was on the field only about half of the time during his seven years with the Packers. But if he can stay healthy, he is another piece who can help turn what was one of the worst secondaries in the NFL last season into perhaps one of the best. Sam Cohn, reporter: Not 24 hours after Jackson admitted he made some phone calls and publicly pleaded for general manager Eric DeCosta to go sign Alexander, Jackson’s former Louisville teammate put pen to paper on a deal bringing him to Baltimore. The one-year deal worth up to $6 million is below what other teams offered, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If Alexander comes to Baltimore and is comfortable being one piece of a larger puzzle in a loaded secondary — and more importantly, stays healthy — this could prove to be a dynamite signing. The 28-year-old helps make the secondary even more malleable than they already were, playing opposite second-year corner Nate Wiggins and allowing All-Pro Marlon Humphrey to push inside. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the ninth best cornerback in the NFL going into this season, with the understanding that injuries hampered his 2023 and 2024. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr and senior secondary coach Chuck Pagano probably shared a crisp high five in light of the news and got right to work on molding the Ravens’ new addition into their planning meetings. Baltimore’s secondary was a strong suit for the final seven weeks of the 2024 season. It just got stronger. C.J. Doon, editor: Death, taxes and the Ravens signing a solid veteran to a team-friendly deal. As soon as the Packers released Alexander, Baltimore immediately came to mind as a destination, not only because of his connection with former Louisville teammate Lamar Jackson but the Ravens’ glaring need for more depth at cornerback. Having Alexander in the fold allows Marlon Humphrey to play in the slot more often and takes some pressure off Chidobe Awuzie — another solid veteran pickup earlier this offseason — and the young corners behind him. T.J. Tampa and Jalyn Armour-Davis are great options off the bench to mix and match in a versatile secondary that now looks like one of the league’s best after an extremely disappointing season. Health is always a concern, especially for a player like Alexander who has missed time in all but one of his seven seasons, but there’s very little risk in a move like this. If Malaki Starks is the star rookie the Ravens expect him to be, Kyle Hamilton keeps ascending and Wiggins and Humphrey continue to play at a high level, there’s a good chance that Baltimore fields one of the league’s top secondaries this season after spending last year trying to fix one of the worst. Zach Orr and Chuck Pagano should be happy. Bennett Conlin, editor: Does Baltimore have any obvious weaknesses? While Alexander’s health has been a question mark in recent seasons, he’s one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL when available and he’s coming to the Ravens on a cheap, one-year deal. There’s minimal risk to bringing in Alexander, who joins a secondary that includes stars like Kyle Hamilton, Humphrey and Wiggins. The secondary now looks plenty strong after lingering questions from the 2024 season. Add in perhaps the NFL’s most dangerous offense, and there’s little reason the Ravens shouldn’t contend for this year’s Super Bowl. Plus, adding Alexander should only benefit Jackson’s confidence and comfort level. The former college teammates at Louisville are good friends, and Alexander’s presence should please the two-time MVP as he aims to lead Baltimore to a championship. What’s not to like about this signing of a talented free agent looking to prove his worth on a one-year deal? Eric DeCosta deserves his flowers for this signing, which bolsters Baltimore’s Super Bowl chances. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article Quote
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