Going into the offseason, the Baltimore Ravens have some clear-cut needs which, if filled, could give them everything they need to win a Super Bowl. With a strong roster in place, already, the Ravens just have to shore up a few spots.
Their first opportunity to fill holes comes in free agency, and the pool of talent is going to get even bigger in the coming days with teams having to make decisions on key veteran cuts. An area the Ravens have to improve is without a doubt at cornerback.
Baltimore could be seeing their perfect cornerback target fall right into their laps, too. Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl corner Jaire Alexander looks to be on his way out in the near future, wrote ESPN Packers beat writer Rob Demovsky.
"There are strong indications that Alexander's time with the Packers will end without him playing another down," Demovsky reported.
If the Packers released Alexander, they would save over $6 million in cap space. It seems like an obvious move from Green Bay's standpoint, all things considered.
So, the good news is, Alexander could be a free agent very soon; one the Ravens would be wise to pursue, depending on the cost.
However, the bad news comes when you look at the reasons why Green Bay is moving on from Alexander.
Jaire Alexander is a massive free agent risk for the Ravens
"Multiple team sources have privately expressed their frustration with Alexander's inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries," noted Demovsky.
This is where the risk comes into play. Alexander has only suited up for seven games each of the past two seasons due to injury. In 2022, he made the Pro Bowl while starting 16 games. However, the year prior saw Alexander appear in only four games.
More Ravens news:
That's one full season sandwiched between three campaigns which were cut very short due to injury. While Alexander is a Pro Bowl talent when healthy, his health is exactly why he comes with so much risk.
The Ravens defense could use an upgrade like a healthy Alexander. His two Pro Bowl seasons saw Alexander allow an opposing quarterback rating in the 60's, a minimum of 13 pass breakups and a total of six interceptions.
He'd be exactly what this unit needs, assuming he's healthy and also lining up opposite Marlon Humphrey. But, that's a big "if."
This might end up being the perfect situation for both sides. Alexander knows his time is up with a storied franchise. But, he could also have an opportunity to join a winning franchise like Baltimore who has been very, very close to getting over the hump these past few years.
If Baltimore and Alexander could agree on either a 1-year "prove it" type of deal or a heavily-incentivized contract over two or three years, that could pay dividends for both sides. Should Alexander stay healthy, both he and the Ravens win -- literally.