The Baltimore Ravens added some more draft capital on Saturday afternoon, dealing cornerback Jaire Alexander and a 2027 seventh-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2026 sixth-round selection. The pick Baltimore received belongs to the Denver Broncos.
At face value, the deal does not provide much for the Ravens. They move on from a disappointing signing from this past offseason and get a favorable pick swap from the Eagles. The move does not hurt Baltimore at all, as Alexander played just two games with the team. For Philadelphia, it is a buy-low move for a secondary desperate for help.
However, this trade signals much bigger moves on the way for the Ravens. While they are gaining momentum on their two-game win streak, they still need plenty of help to have a strong shot at the playoffs in 2025. Their 3-5 record puts them in a difficult spot, and General Manager Eric DeCosta should be an active player, buying ahead of the trade deadline.
Eric DeCosta has more to come after Jaire Alexander trade
The Ravens now have an open spot on their 53-man roster. Alexander was healthy enough to see the field, but could never fully get over that nagging knee injury. He also lacked special teams value. He took up an active roster spot, but provided little to no value. With the trade, Baltimore finally frees up a spot for a player who could be a real contributor, as they look to make a competitive run heading into the rest of the 2025 campaign.
More significantly, DeCosta added an additional $2 million to the team’s cap space. With so much talent on the roster, the Ravens have been tight for cap space. However, the Odafe Oweh and Jaire Alexander trades have cleared enough money to make some significant moves in the coming days. With over $15 million in cap space now, money should not be much of an issue for DeCosta and the front office.
The draft capital could come in handy in future trades, too. While it is only a sixth-rounder, and a selection that is expected to be a late one at that, it could be used to strike a deal for a key depth piece at corner or defensive line. DeCosta could also package the pick for a bigger move. They now have five picks between the fifth and sixth rounds, which is undoubtedly enough to make some impactful moves ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Although Baltimore’s season looked lost three weeks ago, they could be one of the more competitive teams calling for help at the trade deadline. Their latest Alexander deal makes almost anything possible for the third-place AFC North squad.