The Carolina Panthers could be a dark-horse destination for the (soon-to-be) top free agent in the NFL.
As reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Monday, the Green Bay Packers are releasing cornerback Jaire Alexander. The two-time Pro Bowler is now set to hit the open market—where the Panthers, according to Pro Football Focus analyst Trevor Sikkema, could be prowling.
Sikkema writes the following of Carolina, who he named as one of six potential landing spots for Alexander:
This one feels a bit out of left field, but stick with us. The Panthers’ secondary under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero last season was fairly aggressive, playing single-high coverages 66.4% of the time. They used Cover 3 more than Cover 1, running the zone scheme on 38.7% of snaps compared to 16.9% in 2023.
Alexander’s 98th-percentile PFF coverage grade over the past three years in single-coverage situations is evidence of his impact from a single-high alignment as a cornerback who can succeed in both man and zone situations when there is only one safety deep.
Making this move would depend on where the Panthers believe they are in their competing window, but they would surely be interested at the right price. It would also be somewhat of a homecoming for Alexander, who played football at Rocky River High School just outside of the Charlotte area.
Alexander was selected by the Packers with the 18th overall pick of the 2018 draft. He’s since gone on to appear in 78 games over seven campaigns—amassing 287 combined tackles, 12 interceptions and 70 passes defensed.
His availability, or lack thereof, in recent years likely factored into Green Bay’s decision to part ways. Injuries have limited Alexander, now 28 years old, to 34 of a possible 64 games since 2021.
Adding Alexander alongside 2024 Pro Bowler Jaycee Horn would undoubtedly give Carolina one of the top cornerback duos in the entire league. But is the recent injury history, as well as the money and years it’ll probably take to secure the talented defender, worth the risk for the Panthers?
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