The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the Baltimore Ravens are in the market for a cornerback. While it's somewhat curious, given their lack of pass rush, the Ravens defense overall has been a mess, so bolstering their secondary depth is also understandable.
However, if they do make a move for a cornerback ahead of November's trade deadline, it's fair to expect that the team would part ways with veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander.
When the Baltimore Ravens signed Alexander this offseason, I, like many fans, was cautiously optimistic about this move. Alexander is a two-time Pro-Bowler, but he was coming off a serious knee injury. Unfortunately, so far this gamble has been nothing short of disastrous. Luckily, it was a low-risk move financially, but there's no denying that Alexander hasn't produced, and it's clear his injury is still impacting him.
At this point, cutting him makes sense, and if they trade for another corner, Alexander's fate seems all but determined.
Jaire Alexander's time in Baltimore seems to be coming to an end
Alexander has played in just two games in Week 1, and he gave up two massive plays in the final drive of the game to secure a win for the Buffalo Bills. He also got the call in Week 5 against the Texans due to some key injuries, but once again gave up some big plays. He is notably conceding 23.2 yards per target this season, far above his career average of 7.4.
During the other four games, Alexander has either been inactive or John Harbaugh has opted not to give him a single snap. This trend feels likely to continue on Sunday with Chidobe Awuzie returning to the field. Sometimes you roll the dice and it doesn't work out; that certainly seems to be the case with the Ravens' signing of Alexander. Washing their hands of this failed experiment feels logical.
In terms of possible trade targets for the Ravens, Russini mentioned that Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary could be available. He is a promising 25-year-old corner in the last year of his rookie contract. Riq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks is another cornerback who seems to be available. He would be a higher-end target for Baltimore.
Regardless of what cornerback they trade for, Alexander's days in Baltimore appear to be numbered. Even if they don't end up trading for a cornerback, I don't think anyone would be surprised if Alexander gets cut. While signing Alexander was a worthy gamble, it was one that didn't work out, and it's time to move on.