Pundits React to Ravens Signing Jaire Alexander
The Ravens' signing of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander on Wednesday sent shockwaves around the NFL.
Less than 24 hours after Lamar Jackson encouraged General Manager Eric DeCosta to "go get" Alexander, Jackson's friend and former teammate at Louisville, Alexander put pen to paper at the Ravens' facility.
"It was good timing," Head Coach John Harbaugh said after the team announced the signing.
The deal reportedly is for one year and $4 million with up to $2 million more in incentives.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that other teams offered Alexander more money, and The Baltimore Sun's Brian Wacker said there were about a dozen teams that were interested in him.
Here's a look at what pundits are saying about the move:
“The Pat McAfee Show’s” Darius Butler: "He's still in the prime of his career. Great ball skills, can play man-to-man, can play zone. And then you put him in a secondary with a guy like Kyle Hamilton, young superstar; Marlon Humphrey, coming off one of his best years; Nate Wiggins, a young corner with a lot of talent as well. … This is a great, great signing for the Baltimore Ravens."
Schefter: "If Jaire Alexander has [a great season] and he leaves in free agency, the Baltimore Ravens get a compensatory draft pick. So, they get Jaire Alexander this year and then set themselves up for more compensatory draft picks in the future, so there's no downside for Baltimore. They make their quarterback happy; they bolster their secondary; and they set up their team for the future, for $4 million."
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "This is a typical move by General Manager Eric DeCosta and the Ravens, who have found success signing high-profile veterans at modest prices late in the offseason and having them become key contributors. It was believed that Baltimore would at least kick the tires on Alexander — the Ravens have long admired him as a player — but it wasn't clear if the team's offer would be competitive with other suitors. Baltimore is relatively tight against the cap. The Ravens' status as perennial contenders and as a place where veteran players have thrived late in their careers surely helped their cause. Jackson's presence — he and Alexander were first-round picks in 2018 — probably did as well. And maybe it factored that the Ravens have the Packers and a game at Lambeau Field on their schedule for late December."
Wacker: "Adding Alexander was a no-brainer and not a surprise. The affection between Lamar Jackson and his former Louisville teammate is genuine. It's also a low-risk, low-cost move for a player who, when healthy, was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. He also adds depth and talent to a secondary that has plenty of players with injury histories. That injury history of course includes Alexander, who was on the field only about half of the time during his seven years with the Packers. But if he can stay healthy, he is another piece who can help turn what was one of the worst secondaries in the NFL last season into perhaps one of the best."
The Baltimore Sun’s Bennett Conlin: "What's not to like about this signing of a talented free agent looking to prove his worth on a one-year deal? Eric DeCosta deserves his flowers for this signing, which bolsters Baltimore's Super Bowl chances."
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan: "Even with all the questions surrounding Alexander's durability, no opposing quarterback wants to see a player of his talent level enter their division. 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. If Baltimore can maintain its level of play from the second half of last season on defense, the addition of Alexander only makes the Ravens more of a headache to face twice a year, especially if he can stay healthy. So, that makes life more difficult for Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers (his former Packers teammate), and whoever the Browns start under center, along with all the other quarterbacks they'll face in 2025."
NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks: "I love what he adds to the team because he gives them a high-end player to play alongside Nate Wiggins, [and] Marlon Humphrey now being able to kick inside. So now their starting threesome on the perimeter is about as good as it gets in the National Football League."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Dustin Cox: "This move was written on the wall after Alexander was released from the Packers. The Ravens get another top-tier cornerback to go with Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, and Chidobe Awuzie. Health is the major concern with Alexander in recent years. When on the field, he has still performed at a high level, so this signing could be an absolute steal if Baltimore is able to get a healthier Alexander this season. With battles against Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen on the schedule, the Ravens need a strong secondary, and they have assembled perhaps the best one in the NFL."
Ravens Have PFF's Top-Ranked Running Back Unit, Best Tight End Duo
Pro Football Focus ranked all 32 running back units. Unsurprisingly, the Ravens were No. 1.
"The Ravens reign supreme with the NFL's highest-graded running back from last season, Derrick Henry, and a talented unit behind him," PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. "Henry led the position with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade as well as 89 missed tackles forced and 6.0 yards per carry. At this point, his eventual decline isn't believable until we see it.
"Alongside Henry is one of the NFL's best third-down backs, Justice Hill. Hill's 89.0 PFF receiving grade in 2024 ranked fourth among running backs last season. He did not drop any of his 52 targets. Baltimore also has Keaton Mitchell, who earned an elite 92.5 PFF rushing grade in limited work in 2023, and Rasheen Ali, who added special-teams value late last season."
PFF also named the best duos at every position. Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely got the nod at tight end.
"Andrews and Likely endured contrasting trajectories in 2024," PFF's Zoltan Buday wrote. "While Andrews started slow after missing significant time due to injury in 2023, Likely produced well in the early going. Andrews did not record a single touchdown over the first five games but still finished with 11. On the other hand, 271 of Likely's 477 receiving yards came in the first eight weeks.
"Regardless, both had strong seasons and finished among the top 10 tight ends in PFF overall grade. Andrews earned an 83.1 mark, which ranked fourth, while Likely's 75.6 mark placed seventh."
Malaki Starks Makes All-Rookie Team
NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice named safety Malaki Starks to his All-Rookie Team and was effusive in his praise of the first-rounder.
"Starks is represented by Nicole Lynn, but the trailblazing agent has a serious competitor when it comes to the dogged promotion of her client: ME!" Filice wrote. "Seeing how my infatuation with the safety approached stalker levels during this draft cycle, his placement here was guaranteed the moment I was handed this assignment. The fit in Baltimore is perfect, as Starks' center field chops will allow Kyle Hamilton to return to the overhang role that made him a first-team All-Pro in 2023. And Malaki has already endeared himself to his head coach.
"I. Love. This. Guy."
Pundit Says Ravens 'Just Need to Stop Beating Themselves' to Get Over the Hump
The Athletic’s Jacob Robinson previewed the AFC North, and he believes the Ravens will be even better than they were last season, when they went 12-5 and won their second consecutive division title.
"They avoided another offensive line overhaul by extending LT Ronnie Stanley, kept key pieces and had one of the league's best drafts, per Dane Brugler's draft rankings, where they stocked talent across their defense while fortifying that offensive line," Robinson wrote. "All the annual Super Bowl contenders need to do is stop beating themselves."
Robinson tabbed Likely as the Ravens' breakout player.
"Baltimore's top receiving threat in last year's postseason, Likely led the team with 7 receptions for 126 yards and a TD across their two playoff games," Robinson wrote. "He looks poised to build on that, with rookie S Malaki Starks saying Likely was the toughest player to cover in practice and HC John Harbaugh setting a goal for Likely to be an All-Pro in 2025."
