The Green Bay Packers stunned the NFL world on Monday morning when they announced they would release their two-time All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. The move might not be shocking, because most fans and analysts have at least considered this a possibility. Still, the timing is a surprise.
The Packers waited until well after the draft and free agency to make this move official, after stating multiple times that they were either looking to bring back Alexander on a pay cut or find a trade partner for him. Neither of these moves materialized, and Alexander will be looking for a new place to call home this season.
The Minnesota Vikings should most definitely be in on the Jaire Alexander sweepstakes.
I know most of the Vikings faithful aren’t fans of Alexander and his antics, such as griddying over Justin Jefferson after the wide receiver was held when he was trying to work back to the ball. Alexander has recently gotten more press for some of his off-the-field comments and injuries than for his play; he has only appeared in 14 games over the past two seasons.
However, when you remove some of the built-in bias against Alexander, he’s clearly a player the Vikings should consider adding to their roster.
While Minnesota’s defense has improved in many areas this offseason, the secondary is still the biggest question mark. Byron Murphy is undoubtedly a good cornerback who can play on the outside and in the slot, but the depth chart behind him is a list of uncertainties.
Isaiah Rodgers looked good during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles and seems to have all the traits to be a solid starting cornerback. However, his sample size is a concern. Rodgers only played 209 coverage snaps last regular season. He served as more of a rotational piece on an excellent secondary, and Philadelphia exclusively used him as a depth player.
Mekhi Blackmon also looked good during his rookie year with the Vikings two seasons ago. However, he missed last season with an ACL tear, and the team will have to see how he bounces back from injury.
Alexander, 28, is older for a cornerback and has struggled to stay on the field the past few seasons, but he’s still a significant talent. Although he might not be playing at the same level he was when the Packers were making deep playoff runs, he still has some good years left and could be a valuable addition to Minnesota’s cornerback room.
Even with all of the questions around Alexander, there’s no world where he doesn’t at least figure to be in the mix with these players competing for a starting spot.
Signing Alexander would also seem to fit this front office’s modus operandi, especially with their other free-agent additions on defense.
Perhaps the biggest trend we have seen this offseason is that Minnesota’s front office has brought in high-level free agents, who teams released to clear up cap space. In doing so, they can add a player who provides immediate value without costing them one of their compensatory picks. Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen are both examples of that.
Like Hargrave and Allen, Alexander has struggled with injuries recently. Minnesota’s front office has bet on their ability to keep these past-their-prime players healthy and able to compete for the whole season.
Last year, Minnesota’s front office brought in cornerbacks deep into the offseason. Look at just how late they added Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore.
The Vikings also have a history of bringing in disgruntled former Packers. That trend dates back to Brett Favre, Greg Jennings, and Ryan Longwell. More recently, Minnesota signed Za’Darius Smith and Aaron Jones quickly after Green Bay unceremoniously relieved them of their duties. Alexander would join a lineage of Packers favorites who join the correct side of the rivalry.
Minnesota has almost $20 million in cap space. Given their uncertain cornerback room and Jaire Alexander’s fit with recent and historical trends, bringing him into the fold on a prove-it deal would make a lot of sense.