Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson added a job title on Wednesday: assistant basic supervisor.
Someday after requesting basic supervisor Eric DeCosta to signal his former school teammate, former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, DeCosta did simply that, agreeing to a one-year, $6 million contract with the two-time Professional Bowler.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Alexander declined more cash elsewhere to affix the Ravens.
When requested his opinion about Baltimore pursuing Alexander on Tuesday, Jackson interjected earlier than the reporter may end, saying, “Go get him, Eric.”
“I really like all our corners, do not get me improper,” Jackson clarified. “However go get him, Eric,” the two-time MVP reiterated.
Alexander and Jackson each attended Louisville from 2015-17 and have been chosen within the first spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft.
The signing demonstrates the kind of affect Jackson has on the group. Contemplating his significance to the crew’s success, Jackson has earned the precise to have an opinion on the crew’s signings.
However with that energy comes elevated scrutiny.
Jackson is already underneath stress to win a Tremendous Bowl. He squashed criticism about his playoff observe report with two sturdy video games throughout the 2024 postseason, however till he provides a Lombardi Trophy to his resume, he’ll stay underneath a microscope on the sphere.
With DeCosta heeding Jackson’s recommendation and signing Alexander, his managerial abilities can even be value monitoring.
Over the previous two seasons, Alexander, 28, has began 14 of a potential 34 video games on account of accidents, together with a knee harm in 2024. He was restricted to 4 regular-season video games in 2021 on account of a shoulder harm.
When wholesome, nevertheless, Alexander is among the many league’s greatest corners. Per NFL Pro, final season, the Packers allowed quarterbacks to finish 61 p.c of their makes an attempt with Alexander on the sphere and 70.7 p.c off it.
In Baltimore, Alexander joins a secondary that features 2024 first-team All-Professional Marlon Humphrey, eight-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie and promising second-year nook Nate Wiggins, giving the Ravens probably one of many league’s most formidable secondaries.
Per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, Alexander, Awuzie and Humphrey rank within the high 5 in tight window goal price, which measures the speed of targets when a receiver has lower than a yard of separation, amongst exterior cornerbacks with at the very least 250 targets since 2018.
Taking into consideration the sheer quantity of proficient AFC quarterbacks, loading up on defensive backs might be a good suggestion. Nonetheless, Jackson higher hope the Alexander signing would not backfire. Assistant basic managers normally aren’t afforded many errors.
