ExtremeRavens Posted Thursday at 10:05 PM Posted Thursday at 10:05 PM The jawing was friendly, but Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander wasn’t backing down. He wanted a piece of tight end Mark Andrews. But the one-on-one drill during Thursday afternoon’s practice came to an end too soon, leaving the juicy matchup to the imagination, if not another day. “What I like most is his swag to the game,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said of his new defensive backfield mate. “I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at corner. “He’s a perfect fit for our secondary.” So far, Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, has been getting acclimated to his new teammates, surroundings and the defense. It was just the second day of training camp, and Alexander, who was released by the Green Bay Packers earlier this offseason, didn’t sign with Baltimore until the final day of mandatory minicamp in June, when players broke until earlier this week. Still, he’s made his presence known on the field. On Wednesday, he had a couple of pass breakups and was on the receiving end of a dime from his former college teammate, quarterback Lamar Jackson, who didn’t waste any time connecting with new receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a back-shoulder fade up the sideline. Hopkins was ruled out of bounds, but Alexander, who was in tight coverage, bowed in appreciation. “I’m in love, what can I say?” Alexander said Thursday of his early impressions of the Ravens in what was his first meeting with reporters since signing a one-year, $4 million contract that’s worth up to $6 million with incentives that are mostly centered around his ability to stay healthy. Staying healthy has been a big if, though. Alexander, 28, has missed at least 10 games in three of the past four seasons. Last season, he appeared in just seven games because of quadriceps and knee injuries. After Thursday’s 2-hour session he said, “physically, I’m great.” Mentally, too, it seems. “It’s definitely a different culture here,” he said. While Alexander did not elaborate on what was an ugly exit from Green Bay, it’s hardly surprising that he is thrilled to be reunited with Jackson. “That’s my boy,” he said. “We was always talking about this.” He also acknowledged that he might not have signed with Baltimore if not for the quarterback. “That’d be tough man,” he said, pondering the question. “I probably would’ve explored more options. But that’s my boy and I wanna win [a Super Bowl] with him.” Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander catches a pass during training camp. When healthy, Alexander is one of the NFL's top cornerbacks and a likely starter for the Ravens. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Even with Jackson pleading for general manager Eric DeCosta to sign Alexander the moment he came available and the signing taking place the following day, it at least took some thought. Alexander drew interest from about a dozen teams. He also wanted to play for a contender and where the “vibes” fit his unique personality. Check and check. “Vibes never lie,” Alexander said. “I’m big on energy, energy exchange. I got good vibes here. They wanted me here. They cared. That played the biggest part in it.” It didn’t take long, Alexander said, to notice that things are “different” compared with his first seven years in Green Bay. Recently, some Ravens players have rekindled breakfast club workouts, a tradition started by former Ravens safety Eric Weddle. A group of about eight, including Humphrey and Alexander, gather at 6 a.m. in the team’s weight room. If a player gets there at 6:01, Humphrey said, it’s too late. The idea is to create an environment where everything matters, with accountability being important. “We work hard here,” Alexander said. “The workouts are intense.” As for Alexander’s role, that’s still to be determined, but his addition gives the Ravens plenty of flexibility in the secondary, including using Humphrey more in the slot, where he was an All-Pro last season, and playing more match-ups depending on the game and opposing receivers. It also provides depth with injuries inevitable. “I’m embracing any role here,” Alexander said. “My goal, and I know the team’s goal, is to win the Super Bowl, so however we can do that. What does he provide in that goal? “I’m gonna bring that energy and that juice,” he said. “Everything else will fall into place.” He added that he “loves” the Ravens’ potential, and being around Humphrey, who Alexander said might be more weird than him. Alexander also spent time watching tape of old Ravens games, including one from two years ago when an agitated Humphrey mixed it up with a couple of Steelers defensive linemen during a game in Pittsburgh. It’s no wonder then that Alexander and Humphrey have jelled. Alexander also said he didn’t circle Week 17 on his calendar, which is when Baltimore travels to Green Bay to face his former team. “I circle every week,” he said. “Everybody’s gonna get it.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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