One name that has quietly emerged in the Carolina Panthers’ search for help on the defense hits close to home. Jaire Alexander, a Charlotte native and former Rocky River High School standout, is starting to pop up in conversations as a potential target for a team still trying to patch up a leaky secondary.
The usual rumors about Miami Dolphins standout Jalen Ramsey haven’t gone away. His past with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero makes him an obvious connection, and his elite talent would bring instant credibility to a defense desperate for an identity. But if Ramsey hits the trade block, Miami will have no shortage of suitors. Carolina would be just one of many.
That’s where Alexander comes in. The 28-year-old Green Bay Packers cornerback has two years left on his deal with a hefty $24.6 million cap hit, but he’s a proven playmaker—flashy, physical, and still in his prime. If the Packers decide to pivot this offseason, Carolina could be a logical landing spot. It’s a reunion with the city he once called home and a possible anchor for a defense that hasn’t had a true lockdown presence since the Josh Norman era.
Adding Alexander to a cornerback room that already includes Jaycee Horn would give Carolina one of the best tandems in the league—assuming Horn stays healthy in 2025. The 2021 first-round pick just inked a new deal with $70 million guaranteed, making him one of the highest-paid corners in football. Pairing him with Alexander wouldn’t just fill a need. It’d bring some long-missing swagger back to a defense that used to thrive on it.