By acquiring Jalen Ramsey in a blockbuster trade on Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers bolstered their group of covermen. Just a few weeks before, their bitter AFC North rival, the Baltimore Ravens, did the same by adding Jaire Alexander as a free agent.
As long as Alexander remains healthy, he can line up outside for the Ravens along with Nate Wiggins, allowing Marlon Humphrey to patrol the slot. But over the past two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, staying on the field was easier said than done for Alexander. Therein lies the problem for the Baltimore, who might regret their decision not to pursue Ramsey.
Did Ravens choose the wrong cornerback to add this offseason?
Alexander has nursed injuries to his back, groin, shoulder and knee while only playing in 14 games since the start of the 2023 campaign. He missed the Packers’ last eight games a season ago, including a Wild Card playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Jim Harbaugh’s team is excited about the import and what his presence will provide. Alexander was a two-time second-team AP All-Pro during his seven seasons with the Packers. He notched 10 interceptions through his initial five go-rounds, including five in 2022.
“A quote that’s never been said and probably will never be said in NFL history is, ‘We’ve got too many corners that can cover,’” Humphrey told his team’s website after it added Alexander. “I think that’s a great problem to have. Really excited for that addition. The options are endless. It’s going to be a fun secondary.”
Alexander skipped all of Green Bay’s in-person voluntary workouts this offseason. He had two years to go on a four-year, $84 million contract extension, but the Packers grew tired of wondering if he’d be good to go each week. The team was willing to trade him but couldn’t find a partner. He refused a re-worked contract before being released.
"I know it's been really, really frustrating for not only him as a player, but us as a club," Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst said after last season. "When you have a player who's done what he's done for us in the past, and then not being able to get him out on the field consistently, that's tough. You know it's tough on the player, tough on the organization."
Meanwhile, Ramsey played in all 17 regular-season games in two of the past three go-rounds. The three-time first-team AP All-Pro missed the first seven games of the 2023 slate, his first in Miami, due to an offseason meniscus surgery. He comes with question marks of his own, but the fact remains that he has a longer track record of NFL success than Alexander does at this point in their respective careers. He's 30 now, but it's fair to wonder whether he still has something in the tank that can be unlocked by a switch to a more competitive environment and a more complimentary role.
Of course, Alexander could make all of this look foolish by staying on the field for all (or most) of the 2025 season and playing like we know he can. But if things go sideways, it's not hard to imagine Baltimore regretting letting a player at a position of need fall into a rival's lap.