The Baltimore Ravens' signing of cornerback Jaire Alexander sent shockwaves throughout the NFL. A stacked defense added another elite talent to its title-contending roster, and teams should be terrified.
After a disastrous start to the 2024 campaign on the defensive side, defensive coordinator Zach Orr turned things around, morphing the leaky pass defense into one of the stronger units by the end of the season. With another year of growth for young star Nate Wiggins and the additions of hyped-up rookie Malaki Starks and two-time Pro Bowler Alexander, the Ravens should have one of the best secondaries in the league. It is sure to make AFC North rivals pay.
In a CBS Sports article by Tyler Sullivan, he listed the winners and losers of the Alexander signing. Among the losers were AFC North quarterbacks. Sullivan noted how Alexander, albeit injured, is still at the top of his game.
“In the seven games he played last season, Alexander allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 56.7% of their passes with him in coverage and recorded an 86.9 passer rating,” Sullivan wrote.
The free agency move is horrifically bad news for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who waited until deep in the offseason to enter new grounds in a brutally competitive division. Now, he is going to pay for that long wait.
The Ravens' pass defense is going to give Aaron Rodgers nightmares
Rodgers could not have joined the AFC North at a worse time. While he should have field days with the defenses of the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens’ unit looks sounder than ever.
Baltimore gave up 4,468 yards through the air last year, ranking second-worst in the NFL. Only the Jacksonville Jaguars, who went 4-13, were worse. The front office trimmed the fat and added the reinforcements, though. Safety Marcus Williams and inconsistent corner Brandon Stephens are gone, and Starks and Alexander should be miles ahead of the duo’s 2024 production or lack thereof.
Both additions have Pro Bowl potential in 2025, so there is not expected to be a weak link in the secondary heading into the season. While prime Rodgers would have found ways to pick the Ravens apart, he is no longer his MVP self.
In his past two seasons, he has been throwing more interceptions and far fewer yards than he is used to. His completion percentage remains high, but he is not showing off the lively arm that defenses once feared in the 2010s.
At 41 years old, Rodgers’ regression has come, and Baltimore should find plenty of ways to shut down the four-time MVP. Their newest addition is also a former teammate of Rodgers who knows him well, and Alexander and the Ravens should capitalize on that in 2025.