One of the league’s top cornerbacks is officially hitting the open market, as the Green Bay Packers are releasing All-Pro Jaire Alexander after seven seasons with the team. The former first-round pick out of Louisville is expected to draw significant interest from teams in need of help on the back end.

Among those teams in need for cornerback help are the New Orleans Saints.

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After parting ways with both Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo in the last eight months, the Saints find themselves with a glaring need at the position. The team made a strong push for now-Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward earlier in free agency, but ultimately lost bidding war for his services and signed his teammate Isaac Yiadom instead. The team then turned to the draft to address the need, identifying corner as a top priority. However, they failed to land one early and instead came away with a value pick in the later rounds in Louisville’s Quincey Riley.

New Orleans has since brought in former Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. for a visit, though his status remains uncertain as he recovers from a neck injury that sidelined him for much of last season. There’s also been ongoing speculation about a potential trade for Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who has ties to new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

Now with Alexander on the market, the Saints have another high-end option to consider. At just 28 years old, Alexander is still in his prime and possesses elite traits at the position. Like Lattimore though, availability has been an issue for Alexander–appearing in just 14 games over the past two seasons, raising concerns about his durability.

That said, if healthy, Alexander is an ideal fit in Staley’s system. He’s an aggressive, twitchy zone corner who consistently plays bigger than his frame suggests. With roughly $28.7 million in cap space, the Saints are in a financial position to compete for his services.

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A defense in transition could benefit immensely from the addition of a premier cornerback. The only question is: how aggressive will the Saints be in making a move for one?

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Packers cut Jaire Alexander; Saints make a lot of sense in free agency